Trust vote: Bengal CPM waits for party meet

“So, at the last CC meeting, we had not taken any decision regarding withdrawal of support to the UPA Government,” Konar said.

“Whatever decision had to be taken was taken by the Politburo,” Konar said, referring to general secretary Prakash Karat’s announcement on July 8 that the Left parties were withdrawing their support to the UPA Government and would vote against it.

The 86-member CC is the party’s highest policy making body, and the Politburo has to get all its policy decisions endorsed or ratified by the CC.

“On July 19 and 20, the CC will sit and the Politburo will place a report on this,” Konar said. “We will discuss the report and if anybody has any objections they can tell the CC.”

When contacted, Sukumal Sen, a trade union leader and CC member, said he doesn’t think the CC will reject it.”

For the CPI(M), the Prime Minister’s decision to seek a vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha, has raised the embarrassing prospect of finding itself ranged with the BJP, its hated ideological enemy, if it does vote against the UPA.

Chatterjee, who was elected Speaker unanimously, has voiced his strong reservations about voting with the BJP and has so far declined to step down from the Speaker’s post.