States » EastPosted at: Nov 6 2026 11:51PM


Bengal: CPI(M) leader Biman Bose beats retreat, blames ‘distortion’ for Jyoti-Buddhadeb industrial policy row

Kolkata, Nov 6 (UNI) Senior CPI(M) leader and Left Front chairman Biman Bose on Friday sought to clarify his controversial remarks on the industrial policy of the Left Front government, claiming that his comments had been distorted.
His clarification came a day after his observations triggered speculation and unease within the party over the respective roles of former Chief Ministers Jyoti Basu and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in shaping and implementing the state's industrial policy.
The controversy erupted after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the state government's new industrial policy on Thursday and criticised the land acquisition approach adopted during Bhattacharjee's tenure.
Responding to the criticism, Bose had said that the industrial policy was formulated and announced under the leadership of Jyoti Basu. "If there was any problem with that industrial policy, then the problem was with Jyoti Basu. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was entrusted with the responsibility of implementing that policy," he had remarked.
The reference to a possible problem with Basu's policy triggered considerable discussion within CPI(M) circles, with party leaders interpreting it as an attempt to distinguish between the policy's formulation and its subsequent implementation.
However, Bose on Friday insisted that he had not sought to draw any distinction between the two former chief ministers.
"I have not spoken about any division. The industrial policy was announced in the 1980s by the then chief minister, Comrade Jyoti Basu. Industries were set up accordingly. Thermal power stations also came up. No thermal power station has been established in the state after 2011," he said.
He cited the expansion of power generation capacity at Bakreswar, Santaldih, Bandel and Sagardighi, following the establishment of the Kolaghat thermal power station, to underline the Left government's contribution to the state's industrial and power infrastructure.
Bose also alleged that the 15-year industrial stagnation after the Left Front's defeat in 2011 was now being attributed to the previous government.
Notably, in his Friday clarification, Bose avoided repeating his earlier observation that any problem with the industrial policy would have been Basu's responsibility.
His original remarks had also raised questions within the party about collective responsibility. In an organisation-driven party such as the CPI(M), government decisions and party leadership are closely intertwined.
Bose had taken over as state party secretary following the death of Anil Biswas shortly before the 2006 Assembly elections. The Left Front subsequently returned to power with 235 seats, while Bhattacharjee pursued an aggressive industrialisation drive.
This had prompted questions in party circles over whether Bose, as the state secretary during that period, could distance himself from the industrial policy pursued by the government.
His Friday statement appeared to be an attempt to contain the controversy, even as the omission of the contentious reference to Basu left room for further political interpretation.
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