In a first in the party, CPIM delegates in North 24 Parganas voted out Mrinal Chakraborty as the district committee secretary even as the party’s state leadership wanted him to continue in the post.
During the party’s three-day conference starting February 7 in the district, delegates from the CPIM (Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s various area committees had criticised the performance of Mrinal Chakraborty, with some saying his health did not allow him to be as active a secretary should be.
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.”