Left Front partners have been vocal in airing their concerns regarding the ban on the Maoists and have urged the chief minister to tread cautiously in using the Act.

“The CM said he had no other option but to implement the central government’s ban on Maoists in the state as he was constitutionally bound to do that. But so far as using the Act was concerned, he would not do it unless he was totally convinced. He said the only person who was booked under the 1967 Act was Gour Chakrabarty, spokesman for the Maoists, and none other among the 22 persons arrested at Lalgarh have been charged under that Act,” PWD Minister Kshiti Goswamy, who is from RSP, said after a meeting of the Core Committee of the cabinet, which was presided over by the chief minister.

Other ministers present at the meeting included Minister for Health Surya Kanta Mishra (CPM), Minister for Agriculture Naren Dey, (Forward Bloc), Minister for Fisheries Kiranmoy Nanda, (DSP) and Minister for Water Investigation Nandogopal Bhattacharya (CPI). According to Dey, the chief minister assured them that only the state government would decide when the central Act would be used.

The chief minister, while describing the situation at Lalgarh, reportedly told his colleagues that he did not want bloodshed there. “Police will be there to instill confidence among the residents there. Relief material is being distributed among the people,” Goswamy said. At the meeting, the chief minister reportedly distributed a note he had prepared on how to gear up the administration in view of the Assembly elections due in 2011.

“We discussed how we could begin development in areas like health, education, infrastructure, rural electrification etc and the chief minister said special care would be taken of minorities and tribals. The chief minister spelt out a few things: First, revised BPL and APL lists would have to be released in a month. Second, ration cards will have to be distributed among the poor and if necessary, camps will have to be set up for the same. Third, in West Bengal, work for only 32-33 days could be given under the NREGA. The chief minister wanted the number to be increased,” Goswamy said.