The Hindu Business Line : Kalam speaks to Buddhadeb

SINGUR ISSUE: Student activists shouting slogans in front of the Tata Centre in Kolkata to protest against the proposed Tata Motors project at Singur during a rally on Thursday. They took out a procession around the main parts of the city. — A. Roy Chowdhury

Kolkata , Dec. 28

Following a phone call from the President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, on Thursday sent another letter to the Trinamool Congress leader, Ms Mamata Banerjee, urging her to call off her agitation and hunger strike in protest against the alleged `forcible acquisition' of multi-crop farmland in Singur for the Tata small car project.

Ms Banerjee's fast entered its 25th day on Thursday amidst growing concern over her deteriorating health.

Earlier in the day, the former Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, spoke to Mr Kalam over phone and conveyed to him the NDA's concern over Ms Banerjee's failing health. Mr Vajpayee said something needed to be done quickly to persuade Ms Banerjee to call off her indefinite fast. Following this, Mr Kalam telephoned Mr Bhattacharjee and urged him to do what was required to break the impasse. Shortly after 6 p.m. today, the Joint Secretary to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mr Bhaskar Layak, delivered a letter from the Chief Minister to Ms Banerjee at the site of her agitation.

`Hoping for the best'

As Mr Bhattacharjee left Writers' Buildings for the day, he declined to divulge the contents of the letter. He, however, told newspersons that he was hoping for the best.

Mr Prasad Ranjan Ray, West Bengal's Home Secretary, said the state government was hopeful that the impasse would end soon.

Meanwhile, a seven-member medical team constituted by the Trinamool Congress has been attending on Ms Banerjee since Thursday morning. Ms Banerjee has been put on oxygen support even as doctors attending on her said her blood pressure had dropped sharply. A team of doctors of the Army's Command Hospital has been kept on stand-by.

Till late in the evening, Ms Banerjee was closeted in a meeting with senior members of her party deliberating her next course of action following receipt of the letter from the Chief Minister.

More Stories on : Politics | New Projects | Cars | Tata Motors Ltd | West Bengal

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