Writers’ turns into a gossip corner

Kolkata, May 21 It was no work and all gossip at the Writers' Buildings — the seat of the state government — on Wednesday as results of the panchayat polls started pouring in. With the results came the message about the fissures in the red fortress of rural Bengal and the Writers' soon turned into a para adda corner, with people huddling together and engaging in animated discussion on what will be happening next.

Some Trinamool Congress workers, who used to keep a low profile, were visibly elated and openly said that it is the beginning of the end of the Left Front rule.

State Minister for Land and Land Reforms Abdur Rezaq Mollah, who hails from South 24 Parganas district, sat crestfallen watching on an LCD TV the Zilla Parishad of his district gradually slipping away to Trinamool. Sitting beside him was Abdus Sattar, Minister of State for Minority Affairs, who was instructing his men to keep peace in their areas.

While leaving the office, a grim looking Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee shook his head when asked whether he would comment on the results.