Rather than petty politics, Mamata shifted her focus on attracting investments to a state that desperately wants the private sector to come. On Monday, she gave a miss to the party rally at Mayo Road in Kolkata against Congress and assured the business leaders that her government was not against industry. "If anyone wants to set up industry in Bengal, all you need is to send a proposal to us. Land ceiling won't be a problem. I've already constituted a committee on industry and infrastructure that will examine the proposal and give clearance in seven days. The government has already cleared seven such proposals," she said.
Mamata's move is seen as an attempt to get rid of the anti-industry tag that she had earned after the Tatas pulled out of Singur. Mamata has realized that she can't create jobs and jack up revenues without fresh investments. Her government wants the public-private partnership model in social sectors and healthcare.
Sensing the sentiments of the Marwari businessmen, some of whom feel let down over the way the government took the non-executive directors to custody following the AMRI Hospital fire, Mamata said, "Let us not talk about individuals. The government is all for the industry."
However, the war of words between Trinamool and Congress continued. Trinamool leaders at Mayo Road made it clear that the party would go on the offensive in Congress's north Bengal bastions of Malda, Murshidabad and North Dinajpur and Sabang - former PCC chief Manas Bhunia's home turf. At the Writers' Building, Congress minister Manoj Chakraborty went ballistic against Trinamool.
Trinamool leader Partha Chatterjee said, "The door is open." Without naming Manas, he said, "A leader from Midnapore has been speaking a lot. Let him win an election without Mamata's photo."
TMC minister Subrata Mukherjee said, "The door has been left open. They refuse to go (from the cabinet)."
