Leading political parties and outfits like the CPM, DYFI, TMC and SUCI have seized upon the deeply divisive issues like Nandigram and Singur to trade fire at each other.

Until last year, the venue of the Kolkata Book Fair used to be dominated by Ganashakti, the CPM’s mouthpiece. This year, however, the Trinamool seems to have turned the tide, with its stall “Jago Bangla” proving to be a big draw. Besides publishing books like Nandigram: March 14, the party is also educating people on its other public agitations like the one for saving Basumati, a public sector unit in which the state government has started laying off workers.

“We are only trying to make the masses aware of the issues in the state. And book fair is the most appropriate platform where we have a mass gathering,” said a TMC representative.

The there is SUCI with its stall Ganadabi, where it is displaying books like “Answer to CPM’s Anti-Campaign” and “Singur: A Prominent Name in Mass Movement” published by it.

The CPM stalls like “Ganashakti”, and “Jubashakti”, a stall of DYFI, youth wing of the CPM, are busy peddling government documents on the Singur and Nandigram. It includes a handbook titled Nandigram: Facts and Photos, published by the state sports and youth affairs department.

Meanwhile, the organisers of the book fair are not complaining. “We do not have any issues. All political parties can flourish here as it is the platform for the common man, and not for any particular political party,” said Tridib Chatterjee of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild.