07-16-2008, 12:11 PM
<b>Disciplinary action likely against Somnath even if he resigns</b>
Wed, Jul 16 03:39 AM
The drama in the CPI(M) over Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's resignation has turned into a full fledged personality clash between the latter and party general secretary Prakash Karat.
Party circles on Tuesday maintained that the party leadership is now determined to take disciplinary action against Chatterjee even in the eventuality that he finally resigns from his post before the vote of confidence. Taking a serious note of the continuing controversy that has become a source of acute embarrassment for the CPI(M), the party politburo is believed to have taken umbrage to a letter that the LS Speaker has written to Karat, in which he has reportedly said that he will neither quit nor vote with the BJP against the UPA government.
Confirming that the CPI(M) leadership had received such a letter from the Speaker a senior party functionary said: ''Yes, we have got a letter. But since it is an organisational issue, we will not reveal it.'' The leader, apparently annoyed, also said that the central committee of the party will discuss the issue in its meeting on July 19.
Party circles on Tuesday conceded that the adamant stance of Chatterjee, one of the seniormost leaders in the party, was testing the leadership who did not seem too sure of how to deal with the situation. A member of the central committee since 1998, Chatterjee never attended party meetings or other organisational programmes since 2004. His supporters, therefore, argue that Chatterjee questioning party's stand on the matter cannot be treated as an organisational issue. On the other hand, others have pointed to Chatterjee's ''double standards.'' ''He says both that he is above politics and he can't vote against the UPA,'' a senior leader added.
Chatterjee, in the letter sent to Karat, had reportedly said that he will not vote with the BJP against the Manmohan Singh government. He added in the letter that he is not against the party's ideology or the leadership.
In the meantime, leaders of the CPI(M) in West Bengal started the efforts to defuse the crisis. West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee and politburo member Nirupam Sen met party veteran Jyoti Basu at his residence. This is for the second time that the senior leaders meeting Basu on the issue. Basu had told Chatterjee to toe the party line and put in his papers. The CPI(M) central leadership has also reportedly sought Basu's fresh intervention in the issue.
Meanwhile, SP general secretary Amar Singh paid a visit to Chatterjee's official residence here and requested him to continue in the post. The Congress leadership also wants Chatterjee to be in the chair in the trust vote as it means a reduction in the numbers of those voting against the UPA government.
Wed, Jul 16 03:39 AM
The drama in the CPI(M) over Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's resignation has turned into a full fledged personality clash between the latter and party general secretary Prakash Karat.
Party circles on Tuesday maintained that the party leadership is now determined to take disciplinary action against Chatterjee even in the eventuality that he finally resigns from his post before the vote of confidence. Taking a serious note of the continuing controversy that has become a source of acute embarrassment for the CPI(M), the party politburo is believed to have taken umbrage to a letter that the LS Speaker has written to Karat, in which he has reportedly said that he will neither quit nor vote with the BJP against the UPA government.
Confirming that the CPI(M) leadership had received such a letter from the Speaker a senior party functionary said: ''Yes, we have got a letter. But since it is an organisational issue, we will not reveal it.'' The leader, apparently annoyed, also said that the central committee of the party will discuss the issue in its meeting on July 19.
Party circles on Tuesday conceded that the adamant stance of Chatterjee, one of the seniormost leaders in the party, was testing the leadership who did not seem too sure of how to deal with the situation. A member of the central committee since 1998, Chatterjee never attended party meetings or other organisational programmes since 2004. His supporters, therefore, argue that Chatterjee questioning party's stand on the matter cannot be treated as an organisational issue. On the other hand, others have pointed to Chatterjee's ''double standards.'' ''He says both that he is above politics and he can't vote against the UPA,'' a senior leader added.
Chatterjee, in the letter sent to Karat, had reportedly said that he will not vote with the BJP against the Manmohan Singh government. He added in the letter that he is not against the party's ideology or the leadership.
In the meantime, leaders of the CPI(M) in West Bengal started the efforts to defuse the crisis. West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee and politburo member Nirupam Sen met party veteran Jyoti Basu at his residence. This is for the second time that the senior leaders meeting Basu on the issue. Basu had told Chatterjee to toe the party line and put in his papers. The CPI(M) central leadership has also reportedly sought Basu's fresh intervention in the issue.
Meanwhile, SP general secretary Amar Singh paid a visit to Chatterjee's official residence here and requested him to continue in the post. The Congress leadership also wants Chatterjee to be in the chair in the trust vote as it means a reduction in the numbers of those voting against the UPA government.