Subhas Chakraborty

Calcutta, April 4: Subhas Chakraborty, who did not find a place in the CPM central committee yesterday, today said he was a mahapurush (a great man) who did not crave for the berth.

“I’m of course a mahapurush, having all the qualities of a great man. And that is why I have never craved for a seat in the central committee. It feels good that many had expected to see me there,” the transport minister said at Writers’ Buildings.

The committee, which has 87 members, is the CPM’s second highest decision-making body after the politburo.

Asked to react to the party’s decision, Chakraborty said: “I’m happy being with the masses. I’m more popular than many other leaders in the party… from Siliguri to Dum Dum.”

“It is no big deal for me to assemble 1 lakh people anywhere in the state.”

Asked how it felt to see juniors — Gautam Deb, Mridul De and Madan Ghosh — supercede him in the party hierarchy, Chakraborty said he was happy that “my disciples have fared better than me”.

Asked if his contacts with the Trinamul Congress had spoilt his chances of moving up the ladder, Chakraborty said: “I’m still loyal to my party the same way as I was when it was formed.... If I’m thrown out, I would be helpless.”