New Delhi / Kolkata, Oct 28 (ANI): Communist Party of India (Marxist) Politburo member Sitaram Yechhury on Wednesday accused Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee of hobnobbing with the rebels in the train hijacking incident of Wednesday.

Yechury told media said the needle of suspicion pointed at her and it required a probe into the role of the minister and her ministry in the latest train-seizure drama.

He mentioned that the pro Maoist orgnisation leader, Chhatradhar Mahato, whom the rebels wanted to be freed, is a former member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party led by Mamata.

“Ever since she (Mamata Banerjee) became the Railway Minister, Maoists have carried out many attacks on railway tracks and stations. Everybody knows that in West Bengal she is fighting against the Left Front government (headed by CPM) along with Maoists in political alliance,” Yechury said.

“Chhatradhar Mahato, who Maoists were demanding to be released after seizing the train, is a former member of Trinamool Congress. We don’t know what role the Railway Ministry has in releasing him. They need to probe into this. We are requesting the Prime Minister that this is no ordinary thing. Railway protection is a question of hundreds of thousands people’s safety,” Yechury added.

He also charged Banerjee of being in alliance with the Maoists.

“She (Mamata Banerjee) is in political alliance with Maoists. And because of this she thinks it’s her responsibility to protect them. Kishanji, a leader of Maoists has openly said in media that he wants Mamata to be the next Chief Minister of West Bengal. If he makes such a remark openly, it’s clear that there is an alliance between Trinamool and Maoists,” added Yechury.

Meanwhile, in Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, rejecting the demand for release of the Maoist leader, said there was a need to bring back the distracted and misled poor youth into the mainstream.

“Because of politics some poor people have been excluded from the BPL (below poverty line). It cannot be tolerated. They must be included. The parameter of including them in the list is their socio-economic condition and not their political background,” Bhattacharjee said. (ANI)