Subhas void haunts CPM,rivals have their knives out

According to party sources,the claimant for the post should be from North 24-Parganas as Chakraborty belonged to the district. “The two present secretariat members from the district are unable to work properly due to their poor health. So a leader from this district should be inducted into the panel,” said a senior leader.

Housing Minister Goutam Deb,and district party secretary Amitava Bose are the members of the secretariat representing North 24-Parganas. The name of Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta,an MLA from this district,is being considered by a section of top leaders.

But problems for Dasgupta came to the fore when a few leaders from Kolkata and Burdwan pushed the name of Minister for Land and Land Reforms Abdur Rezzak Mollah. He is from South 24-Parganas,where the party was routed by the Trinamool in past elections —- the rural polls in 2008,the Lok Sabha polls in May and the subsequent Assembly by-elections.

“Mollah is the Muslim face of the party. He should be the best choice as the party has faced severe erosion of the Muslim vote bank in recent polls,” said a leader from Burdwan.

Citing the name of existing member of the secretariat Mohammad Salim as its Muslim face,the rival group opposed the candidature of Mollah and said there was no need for another Muslim member in the body.

In such situation,party state secretary Biman Bose plans to defuse the tension among the warring groups. “Bimanda may induct both leaders into the secretariat,” said a leader.