In a major setback for the Communist Party of India (Marxist), its youth leader and a prominent minority face, Pratikur Rahman, resigned Monday from the party’s district and state committees, as well as from its primary membership.
Rahman declined to comment on the reasons for his resignation. “Whatever I want to say, I will say within the party, not outside,” he said.
However, CPM sources indicated that he may soon join the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Speculation intensified after TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh shared Rahman’s resignation letter on social media. In the letter, Rahman wrote that he “could not adjust” to the party’s recent developments.
A senior CPM leader said, “The conflict between Pratikur and party leadership started last year during the South 24 Parganas district conference. He resigned from the newly formed district committee with other party leaders. However, after the state committee’s intervention, Pratikur and others withdrew their resignation.”
The leader added that Rahman was unhappy with a recent move by CPM state secretary Md Selim, who met suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir. “He also openly made an adverse comment on that move.”
A youth leader from South 24 Parganas said after being removed from the party’s student wing, Rahman was assigned to the “Khet Majur” (agricultural workers’) mass organisation. The youth leader said he felt restricted in his work at the district level, which further deepened his dissatisfaction.
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“We don’t know whether he will join the TMC, but his resignation is a massive loss for the party and sends a wrong message to the people just before the Assembly election,” said the youth leader.
The leader also recalled an incident from 2010–11, when Rahman was active in the Students’ Federation of India (SFI). “At that time, TMC workers assaulted him and left him near a river, assuming he was dead. Local residents rescued him and admitted him to the hospital. It is difficult to believe he would now join the TMC. We are trying to resolve the differences,” he said.
Reacting to the development, CPM central committee member Minakshi Mukherjee said, “Every comrade who fights for the party is important, and Pratikur is one of them. The party leadership will speak about his resignation. The resignation of any comrade is a loss for us.”
A former state president of the SFI and a prominent young minority leader of the CPIM, Rahman contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Diamond Harbour against TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee but lost. He also contested the 2021 Assembly election from Diamond Harbour and lost.
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A native of Diamond Harbour, Rahman graduated with honours in Political Science from Diamond Harbour Fakir Chand College. He lives on the outskirts of the town with his parents, two brothers, wife, and daughter.
Although his family runs a building materials supply business, he chose not to join it and instead entered Left politics during his college years. Rahman is currently a full-time party worker and is pursuing an LLB degree from Odisha.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
