CPM expels Anil Bose,braces for rift

Anil,who had won the 2004 Lok Sabha poll by a record margin of 5.92 lakh votes from Arambag,was allegedly linked to a multi-crore medicine procurement scam that exposed the financial irregularities in the CPM controlled Hooghly Zila Parishad in 2010. Following change of guards at Writers’ Buildings,former Zila Parishad Sabhadhipati and CPM district committee member Asit Patra,who is known to be close to the former MP,was arrested and sent to judicial custody in connection with the scam.

After placing him under suspension,the state committee had inquired into the allegations of financial irregularities made against Anil. The inquiry committee submitted its report recommending expulsion of Anil from the party. The state committee also recommended the former MP’s expulsion.

Reacting over his expulsion,Anil said: “I had to pay price for speaking against Biman. There is no democracy within the party. The internal democracy is in shambles and the party constitution is being violated by the leaders.”

He said that he would “continue to work for the people”. “I have learnt a lot from the party which gave me identity,” Bose said. When asked if he would join other party or set up a new forum,Bose said: “The people are with me. Setting up a forum is not an important issue. Once I start work,forum will automatically come up.”

Meanwhile,state CPM leaders have sounded an alert saying the expulsion could create a “massive crack” in the party’s rank and file in Hooghly district. Anil has absolute control over at least 10 of the 18 CPM zonal committees in the district,said party insiders.

“Once his expulsion is announced,his followers in a vast number of areas in Arambag and adjoining zonal committees will burst into protest. Since he has an absolute control over a large number of zonal committees,not only party’s organisation will be affected,but a large number of party members,close to him,will of course,distance themselves from the party,” a CPM Hooghly district committee member said on condition of anonymity.

Infighting in the party is also likely to increase as it is expected that his rivals will not leave any stone unturned to establish their supremacy in the zonal committees now under Anil’s direct or indirect control.

“Anil Bose has significant control over Khanakul,Goghat,Arambag,Pursurah,Jangipara,Tarakeswar,Pandua,Sreerampore,Polba-Dadpur,Dhaniakhali and Balagarh zonal committees and most of the local committees under these zonal committees. In some other zonal committees,like Uttarpara,Bhadreswar,Chandernagore,he has several followers,” said another party leader.

The rift in the party’s Hooghly unit and the battle for supremacy between the two groups headed by Anil and former MP Rupchad Paul,had always been a headache for CPM state committee. At one point of time,the factional feud had reached to such a point that former industry minister Nirupam Sen had to intervene into each and every decisions of the Hooghly district committees. In one district conference,delegates belonging to the two rival groups got into a scuffle prompting Sen to leave the conference.

“Anil was on the line of fire for his arrogance,breach of party discipline,encouraging factional feud and irregularities,” sources said. “He had put last nail on his own coffin by challenging the CPM state secretary Biman Bose,” they added.