KOLKATA: In a politically significant development, the Congress on Tuesday announced its "official support" for a State-wide bandh called by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee for October 9 to protest against the West Bengal Government's "move to dispossess farmers of their land" for a Tata Motors car plant at Singur in Hooghly district.

By this announcement here, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunsi has indicated the Congress' growing proximity to the Trinamool.

In the recent by-elections, the two parties had an electoral understanding.

Ms. Banerjee, who on Monday evening led a demonstration at Singur against the on-going land acquisition process, was whisked away to her residence here late in the night by the police, who intervened to disperse the protesters.

On Tuesday, she staged a dharna in the city and went on fast from the early hours, protesting against the police action, even as Trinamool workers set up road and rail blocks across the State for an hour, causing traffic disruption.

She called off her fast in the afternoon, saying Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had telephonically assured her that the Centre would look into the police action against her.

She also spoke to Margaret Alva, general secretary, All-India Congress Committee, and Mr. Dasmunsi. He said the Congress would join the Trinamool in a rally on Wednesday to protest the police action and in all future agitations against the State's move to acquire land for the car project.

Earlier, Mr. Dasmunsi visited Ms. Banerjee at the dharna site and condemned "the barbaric police action against her and her party workers at Singur."

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