Calcutta, March 9 :     Wiser by the Surabhi Banerjee episode, smaller Left Front partners today started lobbying with the CPM for slices of the cake called Calcutta University. The RSP, Forward Bloc and CPI began to humour the CPM earnestly so that they do not get steamrollered when the process begins for filling a number of key posts. In immediate terms, the post of vice-chancellor will fall vacant after present incumbent R.N. Basu?s term expires in December this year. A CPM appointee, Basu is not expected to get a third extension. This apart, at least two dozen key posts are lying vacant, appointments to which will now be overseen by Banerjee, the new pro-vice-chancellor (academic). Moreover, the new senate and the syndicate would also have to be elected by the end of November. This is where the catch lies. For, as the process goes, the new senate will recommend the name of the new vice-chancellor to the chancellor who will then ceremonially appoint him. For the CPM, control of the two bodies comes before attempts to grab the office of the vice-chancellor. ?On paper, the university is an autonomous institution,? a Left party official said. ?But don?t take such autonomy seriously, everything is actually programmed by CPM bosses at Alimuddin Street,? he added. None of the minor partners hopes to get a nominee into the high-profile office of the vice-chancellor because it is virtually run by the CPM. But they harbour the notion that the CPM might allow them to control a few less important university posts if there is no active opposition to the appointment of a pliable vice-chancellor. The first jolt to the minor Front partners came when Bharati Roy was made pro-vice-chancellor (academic) about six years ago. During her appointment, the smaller partners were not consulted by the CPM. Doubt changed to conviction with Banerjee?s appointment that the CPM was ignoring its allies while selecting candidates for key university posts. From now on, Front constituents will try to convince the CPM that every important appointment in the academic sphere needs to be discussed at their education cell meeting. Minor partners are aware that they are not very powerful in the senate, even if they join hands against Big Brother CPM. It would, thus, not be possible for them to force the CPM into accepting their candidate of choice for the post of vice-chancellor. Therefore, they want the CPM to consult major appointments with them at the Front?s education cell as a face-saving measure in order to project the concept that the smaller constituents are being consulted. ?We know we don?t stand a chance of getting a vice-chancellor of our choice. But, we want the CPM to inform us in advance about its nominee for such a key post,? a senior RSP member in the education cell said. VC-Surabhi meeting Vice-chancellor Basu met Banerjee during the day to discuss the university?s examination schedule and timely publication of results. Banerjee also met the university controller of examinations, A.K.Chakraborty. She reportedly inquired about 100 posts lying vacant in the department of controller of examinations. The pro-vice chancellor (academic) is learnt to have admitted that the university would find it difficult to publish the results of 653 major and minor examinations every year on time as the department was short-staffed.