Mamata Banerjee will be disaster as West Bengal CM, says AB Bardhan

CPI, an ally of the ruling Left Front in West Bengal, today said it would be a "disaster" for the people of the state if Mamata Banerjee became the chief minister.

"I can tell you, it will be a disaster if that is her (Banerjee's) ambition (to become the chief minister) is fulfilled. She has not been very successful as the railway minister and if that is an indication what will she be as a chief minister," CPI general secretary AB Bardhan asked.

He was responding to questions on the Trinamool Congress chief during Karan Thapar's Devil's Advocate programme on
CNN-IBN.

Asked whether she would be disaster as the chief minister,
Bardhan said, "I am quite sure about it...she will be a tragedy for the people of Bengal and I hope the people of Bengal realise it very soon."

Bardhan, however, said he respected her as one must respect "an enemy" if one has to fight the enemy.

"I think of her as the symbol of anti-Left forces, the enemy of the Left," he said adding if there is a question of giving credit, she deserves the credit for having beaten the Left in the just-concluded civic polls.