Somnath Chatterjee turns 79, to continue as Speaker

It may be recalled that ever since the Left parties decided to withdraw their support to the Congress party-led coalition government, citing political differences over the India-US nuclear deal, the party leaders had been at loggerhead with Chatterjee, who was asked to quit his office as the Speaker.

Though Chatterjee was unanimously elected for the office of the Speaker, yet, as was elected to the parliament on the party's ticket, the senior CPI(M) leaders saw it fit that he step down.

However, Chatterjee turned a deaf ear to the party's demands, saying the post of the Speaker was above party politics and the Speaker "does not represent any political party in the discharge of his duties and functions," and, in a clear rebuff to the party, he continued to carry on his duties as the Speaker and presided over the confidence motion that resulted in the coalition government's victory.

Smarting from their defeat, the Left leaders soon thereafter vented their ire on Chatterjee, expelling him from the CPI(M).

"The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) has unanimously decided to expel Somnath Chatterjee from the membership of the party with immediate effect," a statement issued on Wednesday, after a Polit Bureau meeting chaired by CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, that discussed his defiance, read.

According to several senior communist party leaders, Chatterjee's expulsion was unfortunate but necessary.

CPI(M) West Bengal state secretary and Politburo member Biman Bose, who had urged Chatterjee to quit before the trust vote said he had "seriously compromised" the party's position and "violated party discipline."

"He (Chatterjee) may abide by the country's Constitution but the party has its own Constitution with which he has to abide. We have to abide by party rules. He did not relinquish the Speaker's post despite the party's directive. He had breached party discipline. The party will sever all connections with those who do not follow party diktats," he said.

Bose also said that the party had information that Chatterjee would step down a day after the trust vote in the Lok Sabha, "but he has not done so."