On September 15, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expelled a young leader and vocal Rajya Sabha member, 37-year-old Ritabrata Banerjee, from the party.
What happened?
In February, a Left party supporter posted a photograph of Mr. Banerjee on social media showing the MP with costly accessories, including an Apple smartwatch and a Mont Blanc pen, during a football match. Those who circulated the pictures raised questions about how a CPI(M) MP could afford such a lifestyle. It was Mr. Banerjee reaction that made matters worse. He sent an email to the employer of the person who had put up the post on social media, asking that action be taken against him.
Amid growing public criticism, the MP apologised and the elders in the party, including general secretary Sitaram Yechury, stepped in and described the use of accessories as “personal convictions and personal consciousness of a comrade.” The matter came to an end but troubles for Mr. Banerjee did not. The party set up a three-member commission of inquiry, chaired by Polit Bureau member and Lok Sabha MP Mohd. Salim in June to look into more complaints of misconduct against Mr. Banerjee. On June 2, he was suspended for three months, pending inquiry. In August, the CPI(M) state committee gave credence to the findings of the commission and sent it to the central committee. Finally, Mr. Yechury wrote to West Bengal secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra informing him of the Polit Bureau’s approval to summarily expel Mr. Banerjee from the primary membership.
When did he join the Left?
Mr. Banerjee began his political career as an activist of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M). He first came into prominence when he was elected students’ union general secretary in 1998-99 from Kolkata’s Asutosh College.
He quickly began to climb the rungs at the national level when he was elected all-India general secretary of the SFI in 2008. Despite reservations of a section of leaders from West Bengal, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2014 when he was 34.
The party’s confidence in the young leader was evident even before his nomination to the Rajya Sabha when in 2011 he was the Left Front’s candidate for the byelection to the Kolkata Dakshin Lok Sabha seat, which Mamata Banerjee vacated while taking over the reins of the State government.
Why did he air his views on TV?
But once the probe began and there was speculation that the party would take action, Mr. Banerjee gave an interview to a Bengali television channel on September 11, saying that the inquiry commission was a “kangaroo commission.” He alleged that he was a victim of a conspiracy hatched by a section of leaders. Mr. Banerjee spoke about the historical blunders of the party and how some leaders did not allow Mr. Yechury to be renominated to the Rajya Sabha. After this, the CPI(M) was left with little option but to expel one of its most promising stars, whose performance in Parliament was appreciated across party lines.
Is it a setback for the party?
The expulsion has come as a setback to the CPI(M), which is desperately trying to induct fresh blood into its ranks.
Defending the expulsion, Dr. Mishra said the MP had “ridiculously raised personal and political differences in the party during the interview.” Dr. Mishra referred to four allegations against Mr. Banerjee, including a lavish lifestyle incompatible with a member of the party and serious inconsistencies between income and expenditure. Mr. Yechury said the MP was given every opportunity to defend himself and it was unfortunate that he had to be expelled.
What will he do?
Mr. Banerjee’s future course of action is not clear yet. Political circles are rife with speculation that he is likely to launch a party with disgruntled leaders from other parties or that he may join some other national party. Over the past few decades, a number of prominent faces of the CPI(M) have been either expelled or have parted ways with the party following differences over ideological issues. They have not been able to create a political niche for themselves. It now remains to be seen whether Mr. Banerjee will emerge as an exception.
