Kolkata: After a series of electoral
reverses, CPI(M) heading West Bengal's ruling Left Front on Thursday
came under pressure from coalition partners to discuss the
issue assembly polls ahead of schedule in the year 2011 even
as the Marist party rejected the suggestion.
A day after minor LF constituent West Bengal
Socialist Party and Fisheries Minister Kironmoy Nanda favoured
snap polls, CPI, RSP and Foward Bloc said the issue could be
discussed at the Front meeting since it has been raised by a
coalition party.
"We have to sit and discuss. I do not rule out such a
possibility. The issue of going for early polls requires to be
discussed threadbare in the Left Front," PWD Minister and RSP
leader Kshiti Goswami said.
"Any decision should be taken after careful thought.
No hasty decision should be taken," he said in an apparent
reference to Nanda who renewed his call for the coalition to
go for early assembly elections.
To a question about the possibility of LF losing the
poll, Goswami said "if we remain in power for a long time, we
grow fat. Remaining out of power will increase our striking
power."
Forward Bloc, the second biggest constituent in the
nine-party Left Front coalition, also said since the demand
has been raised by WBSP it should be discussed in the Left
Front.
"I will ask Front chairman Biman Bose to call a LF
meeting to discuss the issue," Forward Bloc state secretary
Ashok Ghosh said.
CPI state secretary Manju Kumar Muzamdar said the
issue raised by Nanda would be discussed on November 14 and 15
at the party's national executive in New Delhi.
On the other hand, CPI(M) ruled out advancing assembly
elections.
"We are not thinking about it (advancing assembly
elections) and it will be held as per schedule. On the basis
of elections to Parliament or on the basis of ten bypolls, you
can't come to the conclusion that elections should be held
immediately," CPI(M) politburo member and state Commerce and
Industry Minister Nirupam Sen told newsmen after a crucial
CPI(M) state secretariat meeting lasting three and a half
hours.
A front-ranking CPI-M leader and the party state
secretariat member Robin Deb, however, said "There is no
precedent of the government quitting following election
reverses."
Another CPI-M leader and party's state secretariat
member Shyamal Chakaborty said the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
government was elected for five years and has not completed
its term. "Where is the question of resignation?"
CPM rules out advancing Assembly polls
The CPI(M) today ruled out
advancing assembly elections as demanded by Left Front
constituent West Bengal Socialist Party due to successive poll
reverses and said there would be no change in the government
and party leadership.
"We are not thinking about it (advancing assembly
elections) and it will be held as per schedule (in 2011),"
CPI(M) politburo member and state Commerce and Industry
Minister, Nirupam Sen, told reporters after a crucial CPI(M)
state secretariat meeting.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of the recent
reverses for the Left Front in the by-elections to 10 assembly
seats. It could win only one seat.
Asked if there would be any change in the leadership
of the state government as also in the party due to the poll
debacles, Sen said "there will be no change."
"There was a reshuffle in the ministry recently. Let
the ministry function," he said.
Sen also ruled out any change in the state party
leadership sayign "there exists organisational norms in the
CPI(M) and elections are held as per such norms. When such
elections will come, we will see."
Bureau Report