Somnath to Left: Change leadership

Former Lok Sabha Speaker and expelled CPI( M) leader Somnath Chatterjee, totally disappointed by the crushing defeat of the Left in the Lok Sabha polls, on Wednesday sought an immediate change of the Left leadership.

“The decimation of the Left parties has made them politically irrelevant. I was shocked... the weakening of the Left is not good for the country,” he said.

Disappointed by the crushing defeat of the Left Front in the Lok Sabha elections, former LS Speaker and expelled CPI( M) leader Somnath Chatterjee on Wednesday called for an immediate change of leadership.

“The decimation of the Left parties in the general election has made them politically irrelevant. This is a matter of great concern. Although I am an outsider now I was shocked by the results because weakening of the Left is not good for the country,” he added.

Mr Chatterjee pointed out that the people have become disillusioned with the leaders but they still admire Left principles, policies and ideology. “A large section of Left supporters have deserted the CPI( M) because they see the same old faces at the helms who were responsible for the party’s steady decline and fall. These leaders have been promising a turnaround since

There are many promising young workers in CPI( M). They should get the chance to lead. — Somnath Chatterjee

2009 but the party’s fortune has further plummeted. No wonder they have lost credibility,” he said, adding that the baton should be passed onto the young brigade.

“There are many promising young men and women in CPI( M) also. They should get the chance to lead the party. They will be more acceptable than many present leaders,” he added.

According to him, the present crop of CPI( M) leaders have miserably failed to give a direction to the cadre. “In the villages CPI( M) workers faced atrocities and persecution from the ruling party workers but the state leaders did not stand by them in their hour of need,” he added.