Though mulling ways to make Chatterjee fall in line, the CPM continues to insist in public that it never asked the Speaker to step down. “I have already made a statement that the Speaker will decide for himself. I have nothing more to say,” Karat said.

Chatterjee’s stance is seen an an indication of a bigger churning in the party against the decision to vote alongside the BJP. In his capacity as a CPM MP, Chatterjee is said to have reminded the party leadership of the political resolution adopted at the CPM congress in Coimbatore which called for continuing the fight against the BJP.

Senior CPM member Sitaram Yechury continued his efforts to persuade Chatterjee who is upset with the party’s decision to include his name, without consulting him, in the list of MPs who have withdrawn support to the UPA government.

Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh and senior leader Ram Gopal Yadav met Chatterjee today and requested him not to step down as Speaker.

“We had come to meet Somnath Chatterjee with a message from our party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav who asked us to request him not to quit as Speaker as he had been elected to the post unanimously,” said Amar Singh after his meeting with Chatterjee.

The SP leaders said Chatterjee was “not just a representative of his party but the representative of the entire House” and should not quit from his post.