The Hindu : National : I don’t intend appealing to party, says Somnath

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I don’t intend appealing to party, says Somnath

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has no intention of appealing to the CPI(M) leadership that be taken back in the party.

But if ever a move is initiated to accept him? “I don’t know … Then I’ll have many things to talk about as there have been many developments and I have my own views.”

Mr. Chatterjee was speaking to The Hindu over telephone on Tuesday from his Bolpur constituency in West Bengal’s Birbhum district following reports in a section of the media that certain leaders in the party wanted him back.

One of them, Subhas Chakraborty, a member of the CPI(M)’s State Secretariat, has written to Biman Bose, secretary of the party’s State Committee, asking him to initiate steps for discussions on Mr. Chatterjee’s return.

Own

Mr. Bose described Mr. Chakraborty’s views as his [the latter’s] “own.” The issue was not discussed in the party. “Mr Chatterjee is not a member of our party. He is only an MP,” he said in Howrah.

As regards the letter, Mr. Chatterjee, who was expelled from the party on July 23, 2008 said he was not “consulted” and he “did not know of it.”

“Whatever I know is from newspapers.”

Asked whether he would accept a decision by the CPI(M) leadership to return to the party, he said: “It is a hypothetical question.”

Saddest day

Mr. Chatterjee was expelled for “seriously compromising the position of the party.” The action came a day after the United Progressive Alliance government had won a trust vote in Parliament. “It [July 23] was one of the saddest days of my life,” Mr. Chatterjee said, recalling the remark he made some time after his expulsion. “I never appealed against the decision of the party then; never criticised it, even then.”

As for his future plans, Mr. Chatterjee said: “I am not going to contest [elections] anymore. Physically I do not think I can carry on much further [in politics].”“For a long time I have been wanting to retire and involve myself in social welfare work. That is my mission now.”

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