Wednesday, October 19 2005 12:19 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who has made an issue of agricultural land in West Bengal being given to Indonesia-based Salim group for setting up projects yesterday (Oct 18, 2005) accused the Communist Party of India (CPI) Marxist (M) of wooing it to secure party funds.

"CPI (M) is bringing the Salim group's chief executive Benny Santoso to Kolkata on October 20 for its own benefit," she told newsmen here.

"CPI-M is the richest political party in the country. Such huge wealth cannot be amassed only by collecting levy. Not only in the country, CPI-M is investing money even in foreign countries," Banerjee told reporters here.

The TC supremo demanded that the Centre order an enquiry into it.

She also said that the CPI(M) had threatened to deploy cadres along with the police during the visit of Santosa to foil her plan to lay siege to the city on that day as a measure of protest.

The CPI-M refused to attach much importance to Banerjee's remarks.

State CPI-M secretary Anil Biswas said, "Not even an insane person would make such comments."

Biswas said that his party had over one lakh 'earning members' who paid levy at a minimum rate of Rs 200 per head a month. Levies were also collected from 143 party MLAs, besides MPs and municipal councilors.

On Banerjee's threat to lay a siege to the metropolis, he said, "We will not sit idle if the police and administration are attacked."