In a sign of hope for a solution to the Singur impasse, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said that leader of Opposition Partha Chatterjee would hold talks with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on demand of the return of land to 'unwilling farmers'.

Banerjee in a letter to Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, a copy of which was made available to the press on Tuesday, said, "In the interest of the people and to keep the door open for getting their demands fulfilled, I am sending my colleague and leader of Opposition Partha Chatterjee to you on the demand of return of land of 'unwilling farmers' at Singur."     

She requested the chief minister to fix the time and venue for the talks on Wednesday and communicate the decision to Chatterjee.

Banerjee's letter was in response to the chief minister's proposal for talks in view of Trinamool Congress' proposed continuous agitation at Singur from August 24 demanding return of 400 acres of land acquired by the government for Tata Motors' [Get Quote] 'Nano car' project.

She had earlier stated that the small car plant could come up at 600 acres.

In his letter to Banerjee on Monday, Bhattacharjee had stressed the importance of the Tata project in the state.

Bhattacharjee had said that his government was willing to talk to either Mamata Banerjee or any of her representative for resolving of the issue. 

Incidentally,  Banerjee in her letter also mentioned that despite assurances by the state government, no discussion was held in the last two years to resolve the Singur problem.

She said that if the time and venue for talks were communicated to him, Chatterjee would take convenor of the Krishijami, Jiban-Jibika Raksha Committee (Save Farmland Committee) with him.

Softening her stand, the Trinamool leader had earlier stated that if the Tatas so desired, she has no problem in talking to them.

She, however, categorically said on Monday that their indefinite agitation at Singur would be called off only if the state government fulfilled the demand for the return of the 400 acres of land.

The Trinamool chief, who has been invited by the Bengal chamber of commerce to discuss the issue of industrialisation in the state, is scheduled to meet the chamber representatives and captains of industry in the afternoon.