Somnath’s first feeler to party: will be happy (if I return to CPM)

“I had no words with Buddhadeb in this regard. He is a big leader,a member of the Politburo. The only leader whom I meet regularly is Jyoti Basu whom I regard very highly. And I have already said that the saddest day of my life was that day when I was expelled from the party,”Chatterjee told The Indian Express at his quarters in Raj Bhavan here.

“You asked me whether I’ll be happy. I have made things clear. It will be a very happy occasion (if I come back to the party),” said Chatterjee. Asked if this was a message to the party,Chatterjee said: “Do I have to spell it out?”

This evening,Subhas Chakrabarty,state minister for Sports and Transport,a strong votary of Chatterjee’s comeback,met the Speaker at Raj Bhavan. Though Chakrabarty called it a courtesy call,the issue of his return figured in the meeting,sources said.

The Speaker said that he had no interaction with General Secretary Prakash Karat. “The only time we met after my expulsion was at a condolence meeting for the late Harkishen Singh Surjeet. Karat stood up,talked to me and showed great respect,” Chatterjee said.

Chatterjee admitted that the Left would get fewer seats but would play an important role in forming the next government.

“I don’t know much about West Bengal. But in Kerala they will fare badly. Overall,they will have fewer seats,” Chatterjee said.

He said he did not regret his decision to stay as Speaker. “My decision was absolutely correct. In fact,my party was misguided in this regard. I do not want to go into whether the nuclear deal was good or bad. I told them that by withdrawing support they were risking a snap election because till then the UPA could not get the support of Samajwadi Party. Just before that,the party fared very badly in the Panchayat elections and party bosses sitting in Delhi could not understand the purport of that,” Chatterjee said.

However,he said that it would be “painful” if the Marxists lost ground in West Bengal.

“This election was fought here on non-national issues. So those who will be elected will have no commitment to Parliament. However,it will be painful if the Marxists lost here. That day,anarchy in West Bengal will be complete,” Chatterjee said.