Something radically wrong with Left: Somnath !!!

New Delhi: Looking at the CPM’s affairs in Kerala and the turf war between Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan and senior party leader Pinarayi Vijayan, former party leader and Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee said that there is something radically wrong with the CPI-M. In an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN, Chatterjee also said that every speaker should resign from his party after accepting the post of the speaker.

Excerpts from CNN-IBN’s Bhupendra Chaubey’s interview with Somnath Chatterjee:

CNN-IBN: You know that the present leadership of the CPM is of the same level, of the same stature as before.

Somnath Chatterjee: Maybe, but they have not been able to deliver.

CNN-IBN: Is it also that maybe they have not able to match up to the expectations?

Somnath Chatterjee: They have not been able to save the party either. They have let down their supporters, their comrades in a very bad way.

CNN-IBN: How do you feel when you see the kind of things that are happening in your former party. Like, in a state like Kerala, you know Pinarayi Vijayan versus Achuthanandhan feud. These are the kind of things that one somehow never saw happening with the CPM earlier.

Somnath Chatterjee: See, the very fact that the matter has gone to this limit where a charge sheet is issued against a senior member of the party who is in the politburo shows that something is radically wrong. Well, one must respond to situations. If we ask other parties and ministers to give up post or resign temporarily like in the case of Lalu Prasad or in case of Mr Advani because there was a charge sheet against him, I think the same standards should apply here and for us too.

Chatterjee also spoke about the immense responsibility that comes with high profile posts like that of the Speaker.

CNN-IBN: Would it not send the right message to the public at large if the person occupying the speaker's post were to give up his or her party?

Somnath Chatterjee: Yes, I tell you. After that I never dreamt, it will a matter that creates such a difficult situation that I faced. I do not think that any other speaker faced it, although many of them have been actively taking part in their party's matter. But now on hindsight, I feel it is better for these speakers that he or she should resign for the time being during the tenure so they may not face the possibility of conflict.

CNN-IBN: One of the accusations, Sir which is levelled against people occupying high constitutional authority, it's almost coming to a point now where occupying that post whether it be the post of the President, the Vice-President or the Lok Sabha Speaker, its almost like an individual is being obliged by the party in power for the spirit of democracy.

Somnath Chatterjee: No, you see, once you sit in that chair, once you occupy it, I felt one has such a responsibility thrust upon him or her that those matters should not come into consideration. But if it is treated as a matter of gift or charity, it detracts from the position of the Speaker. It should be on the basis of many considerations. Mostly, it should be attempted to be on a consensual basis.