THE IMMINENT COLLAPSE OF THE COMMUNIST-DOMINATED WEST BENGAL GOVERNMENT APPEARED CERTAIN SATURDAY (MARCH 14) WHEN THREE MINISTERS BELONGING TO THE BANGLA CONGRESS PARTY RESIGNED. THE RESIGNATIONS FOLLOWED A MEETING OF THE PARTY--A PARTNER IN THE 14-PARTY STATE COALITION--IN CALCUTTA THE SAME DAY.

IN IDENTICAL RESIGNATION LETTERS, THE THREE MINISTERS SAID THE MARXIST COMMUNIST PARTY--DOMINANT IN THE COALITION--HAD BECOME A MENACE TO THE UNITED FRONT GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF WEST BENGAL. "THE TIME HAS COME WHEN WE MUST...EXPOSE THEIR NEFARIOUS DESIGNS OF SUBVERTING THIS UNITED FRONT INTO THEIR PARTY-BASED CLASS FRONT THROUGH VIOLENCE", THE LETTERS ADDED.

THE BANGLA CONGRESS MEETING WAS PRESIDED OVER BY PARTY LEADER AND CHIEF MINISTER OF WEST BENGAL, MR. AJOY MUKHERJEE--WHO HAS HIMSELF PROMISED TO RESIGN BEFORE MONDAY (MARCH 16) IN PROTEST AGAINST MOUNTING VIOLENCE IN THE STATE. THE MEETING CONFIRMED MR. MUKHERJEE'S RESIGNATION AND THE PARTY'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE COALITION GOVERNMENT. THE CHIEF MINISTER ACCUSED THE MARXIST COMMUNIST PARTY OF LAUNCHING "A REIGN OF TERROR."
MR. MUKHERJEE, AGED 68, LATER ASKED THE STATE GOVERNOR TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATIONS OF MR. SUSHIL KUMAR DHARA, MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND SECRETARY OF THE BANGLA CONGRESS PARTY, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MINISTER CHARU MIHIR SARAKHAR AND FORESTS MINISTER BHABATOSH GHOSH.

MEANWHILE, CALCUTTA WAS QUIET ON SATURDAY, WITH THE CITY PREPARING FOR POSSIBLE TROUBLE AFTER MR. MUKHERJEE'S RESIGNATION. THE STATE ASSEMBLY HAS ALREADY BEEN ADJOURNED INDEFINITELY.

HOWEVER, MARXIST PARTY MEMBERS HAVE CALLED STRIKES, DEMONSTRATIONS AND OTHER MASS PROTESTS IF THE GOVERNMENT FALLS. WORKERS' ORGANISATIONS ARE PREPARED TO LAUNCH A ONE-DAY STRIKE BY OVER ONE MILLION GOVERNMENT SERVANTS THE DAY AFTER THE CHIEF MINISTER RESIGNS.

THE 14-PARTY COALITION HAS RULED WEST BENGAL--INDIA'S MAIN INDUSTRIAL STATE-FOR OVER A YEAR.