No third Rajya Sabha term for Yechury is suicidal for CPI (M): Somnath Chatterjee

After the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI (M) decided to rule out nominating party general secretary Sitaram Yechury for a third consecutive Rajya Sabha term, former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Wednesday stated that this decision is 'suicidal for the party'.

"The Communist Party represents the oppressed and depressed people of the country. This decision of theirs is like suicide for the party. Yechury has been doing this since ages in the Rajya Sabha. He is also one of the finest speakers on political matters. I'm surprised to know that the party is not worried about his diminishing importance in the country. Expect for Kerala and Tripura there is no sign of the functioning of the party," he said.

Yesterday, the CPI (M) decided against nominating Yechury for a third consecutive Rajya Sabha term.

The central committee took the decision after a vote by raising of hands, capping deliberations on the contentious issue that lasted nearly four hours.

A majority of central committee members from other southern states, including Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, too, opposed the proposal which had the backing of the West Bengal and Tripura units.

The proposal for a third term for Yechury was moved by the West Bengal unit of the CPI (M) in June after the Congress' central leadership reportedly offered its support to help get Yechury re-elected.