Minister for Fisheries Kiranmoy Nanda, who is now Samajwadi Party general secretary, today made this dire prediction a day after another LF partner, the Forward Bloc, blamed the CPM for the Left’s successive electoral routs. “The results in the 2009 parliamentary polls were disastrous for us and there is no reason to believe it will be different in the Assembly polls next year. It’s the CPM which is principally responsible for the situation we are in. They pursued some policies because of which we have lost the support and faith of the people,” Nanda said.

He, however, said he was not in favour of advancing the Assembly polls as demanded by the Trinamool. “If the Assembly is dissolved now, President’s rule will have be imposed. We don’t want that. Our mandate was for five years and we should finish the term,” the minister said.

Nanda’s remarks came a day before the Left Front is holding a key meeting to discuss the results of the municipal polls. The CPM did not immediately react to Nanda’s tirade. “I have heard what Nanda said. Tomorrow after the meeting, Bimanda (Biman Bose, Left Front chairman) will give his reaction,” said CPM state secretariat member Rabin Dev. But other Left Front leaders reacted sharply to Nanda’s statement. “Nanda is a political opportunist,” said RSP’s Kshiti Goswami, who is the Minister for PWD.