Kolkata: Fifty three members of the CPM state committee spoke at the Kolkata meeting; so did Prakash Karat and Biman Bose. But Buddhadeb Bhattacharya didn't say a word. On many counts, his government's lapses were directly blamed for the CPM's poll debacle in the state.
"We have identified price rise, the public distribution system, the distribution of BPL cards among the poor among the reasons," Biman Bose said.
Bose's list indicates areas where the government failed like ration and BPL card allotment, tribal and minority rights and rural electrification.
However, there was not a word on industry; the focus was squarely back on rural Bengal. The committee also blamed organizational failure.
"One of the problems was behaviour by some of our workers that doesn't become a Communist," Bose said.
When the Central committee meets later this month, it will debate how national issues like the Third Front and the withdrawal of support to the UPA contributed to the debacle. But there is no doubt that Buddhadeb Bhattacharya will also be strongly advised to set his own house in order.