West Bengal: Left Front issues gag order

In the wake of two members of the coalition demanding advancing of the 2011 Assembly elections following its repeated electoral debacles in West Bengal, the ruling Left Front has issued a gag order on public airing of views by leaders that contradicts its policy decisions.

"It has been noticed that some leaders are making statements publicly which encroach on the policy decisions of the Left Front. It has been decided that they will not make such public comments," LF chairman Biman Bose told reporters after a meeting of the Left Front Committee.

On policy decisions of the Left Front it has to be raised at our meetings, he said.

LF decisions also could not be raised at the cabinet core committee, though grievances on the policies of the government could be discussed with the chief minister, he said.

West Bengal Socialist Party leader and Fisheries Minister Kiranmoy Nanda had on November 12 demanded that the 2011 assembly elections be advanced.

A day later, RSP leader and PWD Minister Kshiti Goswami said that the people had rejected the Front by giving its mandate against it in the November seven by-elections to 10 Assembly seats. The CPI-M did not win a single seat.

Nanda was not present at the meeting, but Goswami attended it.