After the Tatas announced their decision to leave Singur, besides the chief minister, one person who was heartbroken was Commerce and Industries minister Nirupam Sen. The man behind Bengal’s industrialisation drive is a hapless person now. Sen is not speaking much but people close to him informed that the news had shattered him. His sadness was reflected when this correspondent called him for a quote. “We honestly tried for the project. I did my best. But now it will never happen. I am sad. Please pardon me, I am not in a condition to speak about Singur and industrialisation,” said Sen. His associates say he has broken down since Tatas decided to leave. “We are trying to cheer him up. I told him that Singur is not the end of the world. Our industrialisation drive in Bengal will continue,” said a senior CPM party leader and a friend of Sen.

Buddha-Pranab friends forever

That Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee were quite pally was evident on Sunday when they attended the foundation-laying ceremony of an IT Special Economic Zone at a five-star hotel on Eastern Bypass. While Bhattacharjee, in his speech, referred to Mukherjee as our ‘beloved external affairs minister’, the Union minister said he shared the thoughts of the chief minister on industrialisation. And during the whole programme, they were seen engrossed in intense talks.

When cops seek safety

It was a hilarious sight at the Charu Market police station on Saturday night. When violence broke out in Tollygunge neighbourhood, the policemen at the Charu Market police station were the first to scurry for cover. The first to run away was the sentry posted outside the police station. Next to follow were the sergeants, who fled when they saw the mob charging towards them. They even left their motorbikes on the road. Moments later, sub-inspectors and other police officers in the police station fled. Even the lockup constable ran away leaving the lockup unguarded. The driver of a police vehicle, however, could not follow them because he was asleep then. By the time he woke up, it was too late and he was beaten up.

CAB’s top secret: team composition

Trust the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) to come up with something funny. Last month, Jagmohan Dalmiya & Co had devised a novel plan to help out the West Bengal cricket team in getting some much needed pre-season practice in the form of a special masala tournament — the Challenger Trophy.

After weeks of anticipation, last week the CAB eventually chalked out the team compositions of the one-day competition to be played from October 12. The three-team tournament will feature top 36 players of the state and is being seen as a platform for selection for the prestigious Ranji Trophy. Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Manoj Tiwary and Ranadeb Bose are the captains of the three sides.

Now, after having finalised the three teams, the CAB has suddenly decided to reshuffle the teams. Why? Because some newspapers have published the composition of the teams!

Here goes CAB joint-secretary Arun Mitra’s explanation, baffling as it sounds: “We carefully drafted the three teams. And then I find the team details in newspapers the next day. I am disappointed. We are reshuffling the teams and will announce them at the last moment.”

This is perhaps the first time ever that a sports body has decided to reshuffle a cricket team merely because it showed up in newspapers after getting finalised.

Question to the CAB now — the BCCI has finalised the Indian team for the Tests against Australia, and Sourav Ganguly is a part of it. And the team composition has appeared in the newspapers. So, will the CAB now ask the BCCI to scrap the Indian team because it’s been published in papers?

Stretch legs at New Town lock-ups

The township in New Town will be comparable with the best cities on Earth. With top class hotels, IT parks and high rises with modern facilities, the state government is expecting businessmen, professionals and celebrities to throng the city. The police department also has plans to set up hi-tech police stations. “The lock ups will be modern ones. We are planning to have a small courtyard attached to the lockups for the arrested persons to stretch their legs,” said a senior police officer of the West Bengal Police.