West Bengal: State committee by his side, CPIM’s district secretary ousted via election

But despite the criticism, the state committee decided that Chakraborty will be the district committee secretary for at least one more time.

Before the conclusion of the conference, the outgoing committee formed a new panel comprising 74 members and decided that one more member will be included from Khardah. But after the announcement, 27 delegates opposed the new committee and sought voting.

Even as CPIM Central Committee members Sujan Chakraborty and Sridip Bhattacharya, who were present in the conference, requested them to avoid voting, the members refused to budge.

It was then decided that the voting will be held on February 16. In the interim, 25 of 27 contenders withdrew their names. Only two — Sanat Biswas from Barasat and Somen Chakraborty from Rajarhat —did not withdraw their names. The counting of votes revealed that Sanat Biswas defeated Mrinal Chakraborty and became a district committee member. Somen Chakraborty, however, lost.

A delegate said, “It is unprecedented that the outgoing district secretary lost in the committee election. It should serve as a lesson for the state committee. But it is a good advertisement of CPIM’s internal democracy.”

CPIM state secretary Mohammed Salim said, “According to the CPIM’s constitution, this process is completed in two steps. The district committee was formed in the voting of the delegates. The district secretary will be elected in the first meeting of the new committee.”
Palash Das has been appointed as convener of the district committee for the time being, party functionaries said.

The newly elected district committee will hold a meeting on Wednesday and choose the new district secretary.

A committee member said, “Many names are doing rounds for the post of the district committee secretary. Along with Palash Das, names of former student front leader Somnath Bhattacharya and former MLA Manas Mukherjee are frontrunners for the post, it is learnt. The state committee, however, wants the district secretary be elected unanimously and there should no voting.”