Somnath calls for immediate change in CPI-M leadership

He criticised his former party with which he had a long association, saying whatever movements the party had undertaken so far were “directionless”.  “I ask on what burning topics in India, they had a programme? Only holding meetings among themselves won't do,” he felt.

He said one of the reasons behind BJP's sterling performance in the poll was that “the Left has not spoken on the burning issues in the country”.

“What it did at best was to pass a resolution and at recent times we have not seen any movement. They should immediately quit. Let the new leadership inspire the people.  The present leadership is there for a long time,” he said.

Chatterjee, a front-ranking CPI(M) leader for decades, was expelled from the party in July, 2008 after the trust vote in Parliament over Indo-US nuclear deal.  Chatterjee also accused the party leadership of failing to stand beside partymen in villages. “The party workers face torture and problems in villages but there is no one to stand beside them.”