In yet another setback to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), a number of senior leaders, including former chairperson of Haldia municipality Tamalika Panda Seth, from Purba Medinipur district, left the party on Saturday.
Ms. Seth is the wife of former CPI (M) MP Lakshman Seth, who has recently been suspended from the party. Along with her, leaders such as Ashok Guria, Nityananda Bera, and Amiya Sahu, who were the face of the party during Nandigram agitation under the previous Left Front government, deserted the party. “ The leadership of the party has failed to stand by the side of men, women, and party supporters who are under attack,” Ms. Seth told journalists at a press conference in the district.
Those who left the party include six members of Purba Medinipur district secretariat of the CPI (M). Amiya Sahu has recently been suspended for three months by the CPI (M). Those who left the party are believed to be close to Mr. Seth. A former MP from Tamluk in the district was the most important leader of the party when the Left Front was in power. On March 27, 2014, Mr. Seth was expelled from the party for tarnishing the party’s image among public. The CPI (M) had issued a statement to its party members to keep distance from the former party leader as he was aligning with the opposition forces and acting against the party.Mr. Seth had publicly criticised the party leadership and praised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. CPI (M) leader and former land reform minister Abdul Razzak Mollah, who was expelled, said that the party is being run by managers instead of leaders. He said that it is the beginning of exodus from the party.
