KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has emphasised the need to preserve unity among members of the Left Front partners in the course of the on-going budget session of the Assembly.

The differences between the constituents were being sorted out through discussions between the leaderships, but these should not find an echo inside the House. That would tarnish the image of the Left Front, which had been forged through years of struggle, Mr. Bhattacharjee reportedly told a meeting of Left Front legislators here on Friday.

The issues over which reservations have been expressed by some of the Left Front partners are principally related to land being made available to meet the requirements of the State Government's drive towards greater industrialisation.

Reservations on the question of increasing the availability of land for industry, commerce and infrastructure, as provided in the proposed West Bengal Land Reforms [Amendment] Bill 2006, have been expressed by some major Left Front partners such as the All-India Forward Bloc, the Revolutionary Socialist Party and the Communist Party of India.

The Bill is lying with the select committee of the Assembly but tabling it for ratification in the current session is uncertain because of questions raised regarding some of its provisions.

Attempts are on to sort out the differences in the course of bilateral meetings between leaders of these parties and the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The State Committee of the AIFB, earlier this week, reiterated its opposition to either "dilute or lift" the existing ceiling on land for facilitating setting up of industries in the State.

It also announced its decision to oppose the pushing through of the proposed Bill in its present form if tabled in the on-going session.

Mr. Bhattacharjee's suggestions come at a time when the Trinamool Congress is preparing to raise in the session its opposition to the acquisition of farmland for industry, the proposed car manufacturing unit at Singur and the continuing unrest at Nandigram in Purbo Medinipur.

Trouble in Nandigram

Trouble is raging in Nandigram following group clashes that claimed six lives on January 6-7 in the wake of rumours that land acquisition in the area for a proposed Special Economic Zone was imminent. The Chief Minister later clarified that no land would be acquired in the area without taking the local people into confidence.

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