One particular area which is causing great concern at the CPM headquarters on Alimuddin Street is the port city of Haldia which is controlled by party strongman Lakshman Seth — he was all over the news during the happenings in Nandigram — and his followers.

Consider these:

* A CPM state committee member, Lakshman Seth is CITU East Midnapore district committee secretary. He was MP for three terms, MLA for three terms. He is the chairman of an NGO. For over a decade, he was chairman of the Haldia Development Authority. He lives in a palatial house with a sprawling lawn — it is the Haldia CPM office.

* Wife Tamalika Ponda Seth, also a CPM cardholder, is chairperson of the Haldia Municipality and Member, Board of Governors of the Haldia Institute of Technology, a college under an umbrella organization called the Indian Centre for Advancement of Research and Education. ICARE is an NGO run by Seth and his comrades. The institute turnover runs into crores.

* In November 2002, the Haldia Development Authority, a statutory body of the state government of which Seth was chairman, leased 39.68 acres of prime land to ICARE for, believe it or not, Rs 37 only. Seth, as HDA chairman, was the authority for allotting land for industries and other purposes.

* Asked about the venture, Seth described ICARE as a “social business.” He said “market rates” had been paid for another 35 acres acquired for expansion of the institute.

* Other than the Haldia Institute of Technology, the “social business” has grown to include a law college, a dentistry college, a marine engineering college and a teacher’s training institute. Each student has to spend about Rs 10,000 per month as tuition fee and boarding charges. Total course fee ranges from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 7 lakh.

* Seth said about 5,000 students are enrolled. He heads this institute as chairman, describing it as a “no-profit, no-loss social business” with an annual turnover of Rs 60 crore. He is a party wholetimer with a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000.

* Documents accessed by The Indian Express show that a Kolkata-based realtor issued a bank cheque of Rs 1 crore to ICARE as donation. Another Haldia-based industrial house donated Rs 50 lakh to the institute.

* ICARE treasurer Ashis Lahiri said: “I am not entitled to talk to the media. Ask Lakshman Seth about ICARE.” Asked about the donations, Seth said: “Yes, I enjoy financial backing from the business community. What is wrong with it?”

* ICARE received Rs 10.5 crore financial aid from the World Bank — one entity that makes every cardholder see red. Asked about the World Bank aid, Seth said: “It is a fact that the World Bank gave Rs 10.5 crore for upgradation of the institute. But it is a loan. I am paying interest. The loan was sanctioned through Government of India.”

* Seth’s son Sayantan, an engineering graduate, runs business enterprises and consultancy firms. He also operates a security services agency. Seth’s brother-in-law Sanat Bhattacharya is one of the three partners of Haldia Logistics that deals in supply of labour for handling of cargo at Haldia port.

* CPM insiders at Alimuddin Street say many complaints concerning HDA and ICARE have come in. Asked about the complaints, this is what Seth said: “Do you think only Congress and TMC men will enjoy all luxuries in society? And are we to go to Tapovan for sanyas?”