On the concluding session of the Bloc’s five-day national meet, Bloc’s West Bengal state secretary Ashok Ghosh said the Maoists are “fighting for the cause of the poor”, adding they may join the mainstream Left by laying down arms to fight against poverty in the tribal areas together.

“They are fighting for the poor like we are. It is a fact that for the tribal people, the government has failed to address the basic problems they are facing,” Ghosh reportedly told the delegates today. “We urge them to consider our proposal for joining the Left movement,” Ghosh added.

Earlier, while presenting his report, party general secretary Debabrata Biswas allowed delegates to discuss the failure of the West Bengal government to tackle the Maoist problem in the state, especially in the south-west part. Delegates from Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore slammed the ruling CPM and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee-led government for neglecting the region for years.

The Bloc criticised the chief minister’s decision to impose the UAPA against the Maoists and advised the government to initiate talks with the ultras. The RSP, another constituent in the Left Front, has also been on the Bloc’s side since the state government launched security operations in Lalgarh to flush out Maoists.