TATA's bye bye: Mamata gets what she wants

VICTORY OVER GOVT: Mamata is looking at winning over anti-industrial electorate in the rural hinterland.

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Singur: Mamata Banerjee's prayers have been answered. After days of confrontation with all those agitating against their Nano plant, the TATAs have suspended all work in Singur.

The decision comes just hours after Mamata had broken for iftaar with her minority community supporters.

In a strongly worded statement, the TATAs stated: "TATA Motors Ltd has been constrained to suspend the work at the Nano Plant in Singur in view of continued agitation. The company is evaluating options for manufacturing the Nano car at other company facilities."

"This is absolutely their internal and technical matter. We don't have any comments about that," said Mamata Banerjee.

Already there are talks that the first lot of Nano cars might be rolled out of TATA's Pantnagar plant in Uttrakhand. Mamata's demand of shifting off the anciliary units from the present location to a different one has also been rejected.

The focus now is on the West Bengal Governor, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, to break the ice. He met with Trinamool leaders and Chief Minister Budhadeb Bhattacharjee on Tuesday.

"Let us hope for the best, I think the Governor will be able to resolve this," said West Bengal Industries Minister, Nirupam Sen

The TATA ultimatum doesn't mean the Singur plant will never roll out a Nano car. It means Singur has lost out on the global attention the first Nano would have received.

Meanwhile, analysts feel that the Trinamool Congress is more keen on gaining political milege than arriving at a solution.

"Well, I think that it is becoming increasingly clear that the Trinamool Congress is not really interested in a solution. They seem to think that they will gain a more political advantage by being disruptive," said senior journalist Jehangir Pocha.

Mamata, of course, is looking at winning over anti-industrial electorate in the rural hinterland. She is hoping that she will sweep the countryside and in her efforts she is even saying the right prayers at the right time - breaking her fast with an important part of her targeted constituency, the Muslims, on the first evening of the Ramzan month.