NEW DELHI: Caught between the BJP-TMC crossfire over CBI action in West Bengal , CPM on Monday accused both parties of “sabotaging” a genuine probe into ponzi scams in the state and playing politics on the scam investigations.

Even as opposition leaders rallied behind Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee , who has been staging a sit-in since Sunday, CPM emphasised it had led street protests since 2014 demanding action against all accused persons, including political leaders like Mukul Roy and Himanta Biswa Sarma , who have since crossed over to BJP and were now “being protected”.

CPM chief Sitaram Yechury asserted that while BJP “misused” federal agencies, Banerjee’s response to the situation was “equally undemocratic”, and accused both of sabotaging the probe into ponzi scams.

Yechury said the sit-in by Banerjee in Kolkata had come within hours of the Left Front’s rally at Brigade Parade Ground, and alleged it was aimed at diverting public attention from the Left’s success in mobilising opinion.

CPM sources said the party was looking to get Congress to temper its support to Trinamool by emphasising that the ponzi scams that led to a showdown between BJP and TMC had hurt scores of poor in West Bengal and that supporting the state government would be problematic.

The claims followed what CPM sources said was a “chance” morning meeting of Yechury with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in Parliament, first in Central Hall, followed by another 10-minute huddle in the Congress parliamentary party office.

While most opposition leaders, including Rahul, pledged their support to Banerjee, Congress, Left sources said, appeared to have nuanced its stand by not deputing any central leader to attend the CM’s sit-in.

The West Bengal issue was not discussed — despite assertions by TMC leaders — during a meeting of opposition MPs representing 23 political parties including the Left, hosted by Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad.

“It was way back in 2014 that the Supreme Court had asked the CBI to investigate the larger conspiracy involved in the loot of crores of rupees of people’s savings by chit fund companies like Saradha, Rose Valley etc. For full five years, contrary to its loud promises, the Modi government did not move seriously on this matter. During this period, many Trinamool Congress leaders who were prime accused in these scams like MPs Mukul Roy and Himanta Sarma, moved over to the BJP. Clearly, both BJP and TMC were sharing the spoils of such a loot, slowing down the investigation as ordered by the Supreme Court,” the CPM politburo added in a statement.

