"I am saying today what I have said yesterday. Those who returned home merely followed the tactics of the Opposition," an unfazed Chief Minister told a press conference when asked whether he stuck to his view that the Opposition parties had been paid back in their own coin.

Supporting CPM state secretary Biman Bose's statement that there was a ‘new dawn’ in Nandigram following the ‘recapture’, Bhattacharjee said the government has allocated Rupees 1 crore from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for relief and rehabilitation.

"The fund is being sent to the (East Midnapore) District Magistrate. From this, Rs 1,000 would be given to the returning families for reconstruction of fully-damaged houses and Rs 500 for partially damaged ones. Each family would be given another Rs 1,000 for buying utensils," he said.