A red-faced Left Front admits decision to hold bandh over note ban was wrong

The Left Front was left red-faced as its 12-hour strike to protest the Centre's demonetisation of high-denomination currency notes on 28 November failed to evoke much response from the people, with front chairman Biman Bose acknowledging that the "thought" behind it was wrong.

"We thought that the people would understand the reason behind the strike. The thought we had was not right; it was wrong. We have understood this. We will take lessons from it in the future. We will discuss it at the party meetings," he told reporters.

His statement has given added mileage to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) as they had boycotted the bandh. Instead, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took out a padyatra against the Modi government's demonetisation move.

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Top CPI(M) leaders said that Bose's comment has led a major blow in the party as even the response they received in the state to implement the bandh was low.

The strike was announced by the Left parties on 25 November after an urgent meeting called by the front.

It failed to evoke much response since government and private buses, trams and other modes of transport, including private vehicles, were seen plying on the roads normally, while most of the shops and markets remained open. Train services of the Eastern Railway in Sealdah and Howrah sections, besides Metro Rail services, were also normal, Railway sources said.