Addressing a party rally in Arambagh, Bhattacharya said: “There was nothing wrong in industrialisation. But land acquisition policy had created some doubts among people...Had we looked after the interests of all the poor people, this would not have happened,” the CPM Politburo leader said about the reason behind the erosion in the Left Front’s support base.

“Despite lots of achievements in our 34-year rule, remaining in power for so many years had affected us apart from other reasons like wrongs in governance,” Bhattacharjee said.

He also blamed “arrogance” on part of some party leaders for the defeat. Without naming seven-time Lok Sabha MP Anil Basu, who had lost in 2009 Parliament elections from his stronghold Arambagh, Bhattacharjee said, “Take the case of Arambagh where our leader became very arrogant and dictated people instead of helping them. This alienated the people.”

“The leader did not even allow the Opposition to conduct any meeting at Arambagh, which was very wrong,” he added.

Basu was expelled from the party for “anti-party activities” earlier this year.

Exhorting cadres to prepare for the coming panchayat elections, he said: “We have to go to the people and tell them that we have corrected our wrongs and those will not happen again.” “The ruling Trinamool Congress is only talking and not working for development. This is an opportunity to regain the support of the people,” he added.

‘CPM the only alternative at Centre’