Just a week ahead of Trinamool’s agitation, Bhattacharjee on Sunday ruled out the transfer of land to those farmers who did not accept compensation of their acquired land for the small car project. He said this while addressing mediapersons at Phansidewa in Darjeeling.

The chief minister clarified that there was no excess land, which could be returned to the farmers, as has been demanded by the Trinamool Congress and other opposition parties.

“Not even a single acre will remain unutilised after the main plant and 55 ancilliary units come up in Singur. If we give up the land, the factory will be shut down. Do you want Tatas to leave? Will that be good for Bengal?” he asked.

Speaking on the relations with the UPA government at the Centre after the Left Front withdrew support, Bhattacharjee said that it has not affected his government’s “cordial” relations with the Centre. “The state government is receiving sanctions for several projects. I am expecting approval for a few more shortly,” he said.

Asked about the deadlock in Darjeeling, Bhatacharjee said efforts for tripartite talks with the Centre were on. “Calling so many bandhs, shutting down Darjeeling, Sikkim as well as government offices is not good. We want to solve the problem through dialogue. Let us see, when can we have talks,” he said.

Bhattacharjee, however, termed GJM’s decision to fix GL number plates on vehicles in the Hills, as “illegal”. Asked how long the state government will allow GJM activists to carry on with this, the chief minister said: “We need patience.” He also described GJM decision not to allow entry of Subash Ghising’s wife’s body to the Hills on Saturday as “unfortunate”.

On the Calcutta High Court’s order on the Rizwanur Rehman death case, Bhattacharjee said: “I would not like to comment without taking a look at the order.”

Earlier, Bhattacharjee reviewed law and order situation with the district magistrates and superintendents of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar.