Kolkata:
The Left Front held a massive rally in Kolkata on Sunday, virtually kicking off the campaign for the West Bengal Assembly polls due in the state in April-May.
Addressing a nearly three-lakh-strong gathering, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee appealed for an eighth term.
"In the past we have won seven Assembly elections. We have to fight the next election and we have to win the next election. This is our task," Buddhadeb said.
Buddhadeb conceded at the rally that his government did make some mistakes, but said he was rectifying them.
The chief minister further said that some of his comrades had shown arrogance and high-handedness.
Buddhadeb's comments came in the backdrop of the Left facing its most serious challenge from the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) since its 33-year rule.
The chief minister came out all guns blazing against the Trinamool, accusing it of being hand-in-glove with the Maoists.
He also accused Mamata for being silent on the Gorkhaland statehood issue and said that the Left would not allow the division of Bengal.
The Left claims at least 6 to 7 lakh people came to the rally while an equal number tried to join it but were held up by traffic jams. Mamata Banerjee, however, was not impressed.
"Today's Left Front rally was not held to strengthen the Left Front. It was a rally by the 35-year-old CPM-led Front to say farewell; it was the CPM's last farewell meeting," she said.
But Buddhadeb probably hit Mamata where it hurt most - her promise of railway jobs and innumerable foundation stones that she has laid for railway projects.
"She has laid so many foundation stones that it will take ages to remove them. And the promised factories will never happen," Buddhadeb said.
The rally is being touted as a show of strength after the Left received a severe drubbing from the Trinamool in the municipal polls last year and the Lok Sabha elections in 2009.