Basu pitches for UPA

By SUBRATA CHATTOPADHYAY

Kolkata,

July 17: Veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu is of the opinion that if the Left votes against the UPA government during the trust vote, it should not go out of its way to overthrow the government.

Mr Basu has voiced his disapproval of Left’s new found fondness for Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Ms Mayawati and its spirited attempts to mobilise smaller parties like Mr Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal to topple the government.

To convey his "sentiments" to party general secretary Prakash Karat, Mr Basu on Thursday sought a tele-conference with him before the crucial central committee meeting scheduled to be held from July 19 to 20.

Mr Basu also wanted to study the agenda of the central committee to make his point clear to the members of the apex committee.

Given the urgency and gravity of the meeting, Mr Basu who has hurt himself when he fell off his bed on Wednesday, uncharacteristically waited for party state secretary Biman Bose till 9 pm to discuss the agenda of the crucial meeting with him.

Significantly, despite nearly week-long "debate" within the party over the Speaker Somnath Chatterjee`s refusal to toe the party line does not figure on the agenda.

Party insiders revealed that this was also done in deference to the nonagenarian patriarch`s wishes.

Mr Bose, who is also the politburo member, however, said, "The issue of the Speaker may crop up in the discussion if someone raises it."

Meanwhile, on the eve of the state secretariat meeting to being held on Friday to discuss Mr Karat’s letter expressing disapproval of the West Bengal Youth minister Mr Subhash Chakraborty’s statement on nuclear deal and the Speaker issues, Mr Basu has ensured that his protege escapes harsh punishment.

At the behest of Mr Basu, the party has decided not to ‘reprimand’ him in public.

The party secretary said," The party has sought a written apology from Mr Chakraborty for making a public statement on the issues."

Mr Chakraborty who has given a note of dissent on the issues complied the party`s directive. Mr Chakraborty said, adding, " I stick to my point on the issues".