Thaindian News

New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Monday said former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee’s allegation that “disastrous” policies and “misguided” actions of the current leadership led to poll debacles was a view expressed by “a person who defected to the ruling establishment”.
The CPI-M said Chatterjee has made “a number of false assertions” in his forthcoming book (”Keeping the Faith: Memoirs of a Parliamentarian”).

The veteran parliamentary was expelled by the party in July 2008, after he refused to resign as Lok Sabha speaker.

“It is totally wrong to say that five members of the politburo decided to expel him the day after the trust vote session of the Lok Sabha was held,” the CPI-M said in a statement here.

Chatterjee has attacked CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat and the Left party’s leadership in his book to be released later this month.

Explaining the circumstances under which Chatterjee was expelled, the CPI-M said “the decision to take disciplinary action against Chatterjee was taken at a pull Politburo meeting held July 19, 2008″.

“The politburo decided to convey to Somnath Chatterjee once more, the decision that he should forthwith resign from the speakership and not preside over the Lok Sabha session on the trust vote.

“The politburo concluded that if he refused to do so he should be expelled from the party as it would amount to helping the Congress-led government,” the statement said.

“Somnath Chatterjee had earlier in a letter to the party dated Aug 9, 2008 agreed to abide by the decision of the party and resign from the post. He later backed out from this commitment to abide by the decision,” it said.

“All the other views expressed by him are just post-facto justifications of a person who defected to the ruling establishment,” it added.