Thursday, October 20 2005 15:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Top Salim executive Benny Santoso who is to sign an agreement with the Buddhadev Bhattacharjee Government in West Bengal, flew into the metropolis three hours before schedule this morning at around 11:00 am.

A small group of Trinamool Congress supporters tried to stop his convoy and stage a black flag demonstration on VIP Road, the road from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport to the metropolis, but were easily outnumbered by the police, which were deployed in strength.

Heavy overnight rains was also a damper to the Trinamool Congress's plans to lay siege to the metropolis, as announced by party supremo Mamata Banerjee, who is opposed to agricultural land being given to the Indonesia-based Salim group for setting up industrial projects in the state.

Santoso, who was whisked away secretly from one of the gates of the airport after landing was driven straight to the Taj Bengal hotel.

He was originally scheduled to put up at the Grand Hotel. No Trinamool supporter was to be seen at the Grand hotel, only a large contingent from the media.

Prasoon Mukherjee, a Bengali NRI who was instrumental in bringing together the Salim group and the Buddhadev Bhattacharjee government, accompanied Santoso to the Taj Bengal Hotel.

Neither Santoso nor Mukherjee spoke to the media. No Trinamool Congress supporter was to be seen here either, only a large number of policemen and senior police officers.

Senior Trinamool leader, Pankaj Banerjee told sources that he along with Trinamool Congress workers had reached the Taj Bengal Hotel.

"We will try to enter the hotel premises," he said.

Airport sources said, that Santoso, Mukherjee and another Salim official earlier arrived at the airport on board by a small private aircraft.

They were escorted by the police through the gate of the Ceremonial Lounge normally reserved for VVIPs such as the President and Prime Minister, the sources said.

The police security was stringent, not even the media was allowed in.

Later, a small group of Trinamool Congress workers led by Pankaj Banerjee managed to sneak into the hotel in a private car and began demonstrating against the Indonesian group.

"Salim leave Bengal," "We will not give land in Bengal," the demonstrators, numbering five, shouted.

The Police who were momentarily caught off guard, immediately hustled them away. The demonstration lasted just seven minutes.

The senior Trinamool leader, before being taken away by the police told newsmen that the party's plans for laying siege to metropolis had gone awry as Santoso had arrived much before his announced arrival.

The Indonesia-based NRI, Prasoon Mukherjee said, "We are not aware of any controversy over the Salim group's proposed investments. It's an agreement between the West Bengal Government and the Salim group. We are going ahead with the project."

Earlier, Trinamool leader Javed Khan, led a small demonstration on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass after Santoso's convoy had passed.

Trinamool Congress supremo, Mamata Banerjee, who turned up at before hotel shortly after one of her senior leaders and four party workers were arrested, said, "the way in which the Salim official was secretly brought to the city before the time announced by the Government proves that the administration is afraid."

"The metropolis has been turned into a fortress," she said.

As soon as she arrived with her supporters the hotel gates were slammed shut.