Prakash Karat

Calcutta, July 25: Prakash Karat will make an “unscheduled visit” to Calcutta tomorrow to explain to Jyoti Basu and the state CPM leadership why the politburo was compelled to expel Somnath Chatterjee from the party.

The CPM tried to downplay Karat’s trip but sources said the party had taken note of the dismay among the rank and file in the state over the manner in which Chatterjee was thrown out.

Basu, though a stickler for party discipline, has reportedly expressed his unhappiness at the expulsion of Chatterjee. Health permitting, Basu is likely to be present at tomorrow’s state committee meeting that Karat is expected to address.

“Karat’s visit was not planned earlier. He is coming for a different purpose,’’ CPM state secretariat veteran Benoy Konar said.

However, party state secretary Biman Bose claimed that he had “called Karat to attend the review of the panchayat polls as well as discussions on the campaign against the nuclear deal and price rise”.

Although Bose said the party did not discuss a matter after a decision had been taken, he added that “if anybody wants to raise any question (over Chatterjee’s expulsion), it may be discussed”.

The issue figured at the weekly meeting of the CPM state secretariat today as Subhas Chakraborty opposed Chatterjee’s summary expulsion using a clause that denies right to self-defence.

“The party could have served him a showcause notice or suspended him after giving him a chance to defend himself. Why this haste, particularly when the party leadership had publicly said that the Speaker was free to take a decision?” a source quoted Chakraborty as saying at the meeting.

Cautioning other leaders that the party would have to face questions from the people, Chakraborty said: “Among the public, the expulsion is being perceived as a high-handed and vengeful reaction. Tell me, how should I explain to the people the contradiction between the party’s stated position and its instructions in secret to Chatterjee to step down?’’

Asked about Chakraborty’s outburst, Bose declined to comment on “internal matters”.

Konar, however, said: “I don’t know what Subhas has said. But he did no wrong by airing his difference within the party. I can also raise questions if I have a different opinion.’’