Bengal comrades lay down red carpet for Somnath

Since Chatterjees expulsion from primary membership of CPM,a section of influential leaders have been maintaining cordial relations with him.

Somnath Chatterjee may have been labelled a deviated comrade by CPM general secretary Prakash Karat but the former Lok Sabha Speaker seems to be commanding the same respect among his former partymen in Bengal as he used to before his expulsion.

An indicator of this is the invitation Chatterjee has got to deliver the first memorial lecture on the late CPM leader Jyoti Basu. And among those who will be listening to him on July 8,Basus 96th birth anniversary,will be Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

President of West Bengal Parliamentary Forum and Assembly Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim confirmed Chatterjee has accepted his invitation.

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Since Chatterjees expulsion from primary membership of CPM in July 2008,a section of influential leaders have been maintaining cordial relations with him. Chatterjee was expelled after he declined to follow Karats diktat to quit the Speakers post prior to the trust vote on the India-US civil nuclear deal. In fact,he had been invited to several functions of the Left Government and agencies headed by CPM men.

Somnathda was an efficient parliamentarian. I do not think anyone else can deliver a speech on Basu, said Halim,who is also a CPM state committee member,elected from Taltola Assembly constituency.

Chatterjee told The Indian Express: I feel honoured that West Bengal Speaker has invited me to deliver the inaugural Jyoti Basu memorial lecture. He,however,refused to be drawn into any controversy. Ask them who has invited me…. Ask them why they have invited an expelled person to deliver the lecture.

Halim,known to be a loyalist of Jyoti Basu,said the invite had nothing to do with politics: Why are you dragging politics into the issue? I have invited Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as the chief guest,do you see anything wrong in this? He said the forum organising the programme has no connection with the government or any party.

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CPM sources said before inviting Chatterjee,Halim had obtained approval from the state CPM top brass.

Sources said this invitation was significant because months ago,while addressing a state committee at the CPM state headquarters at Alimuddin Street,Karat had labeled Chatterjee a deviated comrade. Karats inference came while he was explaining the need for a disciplined party organisation where views of higher leadership are final.