Buddha rebuts charge in response to PC's letter

West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is understood to have rejeced the charge leveled by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram about the presence of armed Communist Party of India-Marxist cadres in Maoist-hit West Midnapore district of the state.

In a letter sent to Bhattacharjee on December 21, Chidambaram had alleged that armed CPI-M cadres were running camps in the district and asked what then was the role of central security forces fighting the Maoists in the area.

Chidambaram had also asked the state government to disarm the CPI-M cadres. Bhattacharjee, said sources, has suggested that political compulsions should not undermine the battle against Maoists.

Bhattacharjee's rebuttal of the charge came in a reply he sent today a reply to the Home Minister.

United Progressive Alliance ally Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee had last week accused West Bengal government of misusing central security forces in West Midnapore to target political opponents and said she would resign as Railway Minister if she cannot prove her charge.

Bhattacharjee had earlier taken a swipe at Chidambaram, saying that the Union minister had written the letter only to 'please the Trinamool Congress.'

"The letter has been sent to the Home Minister and the contents of the letter will be disclosed at the right time," Bhattacharjee told mediapersons at the secretariat.