Apprehending possible expansion of the Maoist base in several other districts in West Bengal, the ruling CPM has asked its cadres to gather information about new suspicious faces and establish their presence in neighbourhood areas. Moreover, the cadres will have to maintain a strong vigil on the activities of the ‘sleeping Naxals’, according to the instructions forwarded from Alimuddin Street, state party headquarters, recently.

Following a Maoist notice which appeared in North 24-Parganas, Nadia, Burdwan and Birbhum districts, party leaders felt that a group of Maoist cadres was moving into theses districts after being challenged by the joint forces in the south-west of the state.

CPM sources said a number of youths with previous Naxal links joined the Maoists subsequent to the amalgamation of PWG and the MCC. In West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, youths from North 24-Parganas, Nadia and Kolkata were assigned to make the Jangalmahal a monopoly for the ultras. This is apart from the involvement of students from Jadavpur University and Presidency College and a number of NGOs who accommodate the Maoists.

“We have information that some of the Maoist activists have moved into the districts and are trying to establish their new shelter. We have asked our ranks to monitor the movement of newcomers and their lobby groups.

This task is easier in villages but very difficult in urban areas with mixed population,” said a senior leader. The CPM’s move follows Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s repeated pleas to party leaders to reduce dependence on police in fighting against the Maoist-Trinamool Congress nexus.