Kolkata, Sep 2 (IANS) In the wake of union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's comments on the existence of camps of armed cadres in West Bengal's West Midnapore district, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Thursday claimed they were set up to house those evicted by the Maoists from their homes.

'Our party is working in Junglemahal (the Maoist affected forested areas of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia). But that does not mean we have set up armed camps there. The camps were set up to house our party supporters who were forced to flee homes apprehending attack by the Maoists,' Left Front chairman Biman Bose told newspersons when asked to comment on Chidambaram's statement.

After holding a two-day long state committee meeting at the party's state headquarters Thursday Biman Bose said: 'In some places of Junglemahal we had to open a few camps to accommodate those who have been evicted from their native places.'

In a press statement, the Left Front chairman added that in other districts, people were being 'tortured' by the Trinamool Congress sponsored violence, but peoples' unified resistance was also noticed.

At least 30 state committee members participated in the two-day meeting where they reviewed the outcome of the programmes held during August.

'Many people, who maintained a distance from the CPI-M after being disappointed by a section of party leaders and cadres, are now again showing their faith in the CPI-M. We have to be more careful to get them back,' stated in the statement.

In the statement Bose also urged the party cadres to be vigilant and more enthusiastic while implementing the development schemes in three tier rural body.

He also warned that the Trinamool Congress 'is using blatant lies to campaign against the CPI-M, we have to unmask the claims of the Trinamool Congress leaders. So we have to work tirelessly with the common people,' the statement said.

At a press conference in Delhi yesterday, Chidambaram had said that the Centre had information about the existence of several armed camps in West Midnapore district and cadre from these camps were moving around with weapons. He hoped the state government would take steps to rein them in.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has demanded Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's resignation, saying he had violated the Constitution by allowing armed cadre to operate camps.