The CPI(M) on Saturday rejected West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s desire to quit following the Left Front’s drubbing in the civic polls in the state. However, a section in the Bengal unit conveyed to the central leadership that they were against going to the Assembly polls under Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s leadership. The preliminary report of the civic poll outcome was submitted to the politburo on Saturday.
Amid reports that Mr Bhattacharjee offered to step down, state CPI(M) secretary Biman Bose, in New Delhi to attend the two-day politburo meet, said there “is no question of Buddhadeb stepping down. No such issue was discussed at the state committee meet”.
However, CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury avoided a direct reply and said the state committee “is reviewing the situation. All issues will be discussed in the central committee and the politburo to be held before the extended CC in August”.
Sources, however, disclosed that the politburo mulled over the civic poll results and the chief minister’s “disappointment” with some of his party colleagues. The party is of the opinion that “at this juncture one has to continue with the existing leadership following lack of a viable alternative”.
However, the situation seems to be different in Bengal with a section of state unit leaders against going to the Assembly polls under Mr Bhattacharjee’s leadership. When contacted, a party functionary in Kolkata revealed that, “following the discontentment brewing against him, the chief minister had told the party that if they so want he is ready to quit”. However, the red spin doctors felt that Mr Bhattacharjee stepping down at this juncture would not merely send a wrong signal but would also give the Trinamul a “huge moral advantage”.
Sources said the party was also looking at options among the existing leadership to replace Mr Bhatta-charjee. “There seems to be no leader to replace him among the present crop,” a senior party functionary said. The party may have to look at some seniors in the state, who continue to have mass appeal but have been completely marginalised following differences with party general secretary Prakash Karat, sources said.
There was speculation about state industries minister Nirupam Sen replacing Mr Bhattacharjee. How-ever, the party decided against it, sensing he has “lesser appeal than Bhattacharjee” and because “he was the face of the party’s failed industrialisation policy”.