Thirty-year-old Santra, flanked by women with brooms and lathis, said she was hoping for a Group D job. “If Tata goes out, Singur will be doomed,” she said.

“We never though that Mamata will drive Tata away,” said Malik, who runs a tea stall in the village. “The Tatas should not be forced to leave. The majority of the agitators are outsiders. They should stop the nonsense immediately. We need Tata here.”

The sudden uprising seemed to have spooked Mamata, who called up IGP (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia, for protection for herself and her supporters. Labelling the protests as well as the IT delegation as the CPI(M)’s pressure tactics, she said: “They are trying to sabotage our agitation. The boys and girls of IT support CPM, I will never talk to them.”