Singur UPDATE 02: Mamta to NewDelhi for a meeting with Sonia

Fearing a political fallout of the imbroglio over land acquisition in Singur of West Bengal, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Monday said it will launch a campaign to clarify its stand on Tata Motor’s Nano car project there.

“We don’t have much hope the way it is going on in Singur as the Tatas have decided to stop the work at Nano car plant in Singur. If the company withdraws the project from the state then people are going to react adversely,” CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat said in an interaction with women journalists here.CPI-M leads West Bengal’s ruling Left Front.The party will launch a campaign to inform people how Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee spearheading the protest in Singur was misleading people.Karat, however, did not give details of the proposed campaign.“The people are angry and will react against those who blocked the project in the state,” Karat said.Auto major Tata Motors’s project to roll out the world’s most inexpensive car Nano, priced at Rs.100,000 ($2,500), from its plant at Singur, about 40 km from Kolkata, has faced tough resistance since its inception 28 months ago over land acquisition.Tata Motors has suspended work in the plant since Sep 2 after some of its workers were threatened and manhandled by a section of farmers, led by the Trinamool, to protest the acquisition of their land for the project.Demanding return of the 400 acres the government acquired “forcibly” from farmers, protesters laid siege to the factory from Aug 24, a move that prompted the company to suspend operations.

Trinamul look into forward. Tomorrow All party meeting @Rajbhavan

In an apparent climbdown, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday said her party wants work to resume at the Tata Motors' Nano plant at Singur, but after excluding the controversial 400 acre acquired farmland.She also said that she is ready for talks with the West Bengal government for a way out of the impasse over farmland acquisition."We want work to resume at the Tata Motors plant soon because we don't want the poor workers to suffer. But the plant should be set up excluding the 400 acre farmland acquired from the unwilling farmers," Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee said addressing protesters at Singur."Our agitation is not against industrialisation but for the rights of the farmers. We too understand the benefits of industries but priority must always be given to the farmers who provide us with food for sustenance," Banerjee added.The Trinamool chief said she is ready for talks with the state government to solve the row over farmland acquisition."Why only the state government, I am ready to sit at the discussion table with anyone to sort out the issue. I have also requested Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi to take the initiative. But the 400 acre farmland must be returned to the farmers," Banerjee said.More than 997 acres of land was acquired for the Tata small car project in Singur of which 691.66 acres belonged to farmers who gave their land willingly.

Singur protest continue.

Indian authorities deployed 3000 police at Tata Motors' plant in West Bengal as protesters defied a threat from group chairman Ratan Tata to scrap the factory for its US$2500 ($3600) Nano car unless demonstrations ended.
About 30,000 people demonstrated outside the plant on Monday, protesting against the taking of farmland for the factory.
At least 500 people were yesterday camped outside the site in Singur in West Bengal.
Tata said he may relocate the plant to protect employees from violent protests, jeopardising a 15 billion rupee investment. Delays in completing the factory may upset Tata Motors' plan to introduce the Nano this year and increase the project cost.
The Trinamool Congress, an Indian political party leading the protest, is demanding that 162ha of land is returned to farmers.
Amar Singh, leader of the Samajwadi Party, attended Monday's rally outside the plant. Amar Singh's party helped Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government win a confidence vote in July after communist parties withdrew support.

West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is willing to meet Trinamool Congress Party leader Mamata Banerjee to discuss the issues raised by her party, the Press Trust of India said, citing comments made by the chief minister.
Tata Motors is betting that its ultra-low priced Nano will entice first-time car buyers in the nation where more than 45 million people use motorcycles.
The 623cc Nano is crucial for Tata Motors, India's biggest truck maker, to boost sales as seven-year high interest rates and the fastest inflation in more than 16 years damp demand for vehicles in India.
Tata's sales fell 8.9 per cent in July.

I found Mamta Banerjee in a very new mood, I ask her few rapid fire question ,you can watch the complete interview on Saturday @6:30pm @ Star News & on 9pm @ Star Ananda