Addressing rallies at Egra and Heria in East Midnapore district, Bhattacharjee said that jobs to the educated youth could be provided only through industrialisation.

At Heria, which is located close to Nandigram, the Chief Minister urged people to vote after judging the situation in Nandigram. He reiterated that his government would not acquire any land at Nandigram since the people there have earlier opposed it.

The people will cast their votes on the basis of the situation that they have witnessed owing to the turmoil created by the opposition in the past one-year at Nandigram, he said. He, however, remained silent on the latest incidents of violence taking place in Nandigram.

The Chief Minister promised the people of East Midnapore of improved power supply and added that after the panchayat elections the state government would initiate measures. Bhattacharjee said that he had consulted the power minister in this regard. “Power supply has to be augmented for industrialisation and development of the district,” he said.

At Egra, Bhattacharjee said that a Left-led third alternative at the Centre is necessary in the interest of the people. The Left parties have supported the Congress only to keep out the BJP but the Congress-led government has failed to check the rising prices of essential commodities, he said.

He said that the state government would directly buy rice from the farmers so that the farmers can get a better price for their yield.

Insisting that the panchayat system in the state is a role model for the country, Bhattacharjee said that we have to develop the panchayat system more to serve the people in a better way.