For the last 10 days, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has neither attended office at Writers’ Buildings nor visited the CPM headquarters in Alimuddin Street. The official reason is that he is “indisposed” but in an indication of how the drift in the government — after the Lok Sabha debacle — is coming to a head, there is now an increasing chorus in the party calling for an officially designated Number 2. And CPM state secretary Biman Bose is said to have sought intervention from the party Politburo.

This chorus increased when the CM skipped this week’s scheduled meeting with the Prime Minister on internal security. Ironically, one of the voices in that chorus is from the man who has, for long, been seen as Bhattacharjee’s Number 2, Industries Minister Nirupam Sen.

“Why, officially, there should not be a second person in the Cabinet is something the CM should be able to answer. I don’t know why he has not decided to appoint a second person,” said Sen.

Said Benoy Konar, a central committee member of the party: “The absence of the CM due to an illness cannot create serious problems for other ministers. But we need to discuss the issue of sending a representative to important meetings in New Delhi.”

Kshiti Goswami, RSP leader and PWD Minister said that CM’s “gradual distancing policy” is a response towards an increasing demand for his replacement in the wake of the poll debacle. “The point is who will co-ordinate in the CM’s absence, we should have a clear idea,” said Goswami.

... contd.