Karat defends decision to expel Somnath

By Our Special Correspondent

Hyderabad

July 24: CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat on Thursday defended the decision to expel Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee from the party.

Describing the development as "unfortunate" and "not a happy one", Mr Karat told mediapersons that the party had "no option but to expel" him on disciplinary grounds.

Asked how the party, which earlier left the decision to Mr Chatterjee, could expel him, the general secretary said; "It is for Mr Chatterjee to take a decision on whether or not to continue as Speaker, but the party would decide whether he could continue as a member."

Maintaining that the CPI(M) had nominated Mr Chatterjee for the post because of the party’s support to the UPA coalition, Mr Karat said the moment the Left withdrew support to the government, it became the Opposition and none from the Opposition could be the Speaker.

Mr Karat made it clear that the party Central Committee had asked senior leaders to communicate to Mr Chatterjee to step down but the latter had turned them down. He said that the party had ensured that none of its decisions would interfere with the functioning of the Speaker.

Refusing to take further questions on Mr Chatterjee’s role as Speaker, he said the former could always appeal against the decision to the party’s central committee.

On Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s charge of his miscalculating strategy, Mr Karat said the Prime Minister had mislead the entire nation.

Asked about Dr Singh’s observation that the Left had expected to behave like a bonded labour, Mr Karat said he did not know what the Prime Minister was doing for the last four years. "We will tell the country that this government is misusing institutions and agencies like CBI to harass political opponents," he said.

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‘Basu’s ouster only thing left’

New Delhi: RJD leader and railway minister Lalu Yadav, who met Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, said, "Now the only thing left for the CPI-M is to expel Jyoti Babu. They have lost their minds. He taught them ideology. The Left has thrown him out on a whim. Karat can never attain his stature."