Somnath Chatterjee not ready to quit Speaker's post

New Delhi, Jul 10: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's office on Thursday, July 10, clarified that the Speaker had not taken any decision "relevant to the present political context" and asked the media to restrain from dragging the highest legislative office of the country into controversies by "speculative reports and undeserved innuendos''.

Reacting to the various media reports regarding his continuation in office after the withdrawal of support by the CPM to the four-year old Manmohan Singh led Government, a release issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat said, ''The Honourable Speaker does not represent any political party in the discharge of his duties and functions. It is well known that the present Speaker's election to the high office was not only uncontested but was unanimous as all political parties proposed his name. He was not elected as the nominee of any party.

''In the discharge of his duties and functions he does not owe allegiance to any political party. Since his election as Speaker, Mr Chatterjee, has scrupulously kept himself away from all political activities.'' Reports were afloat since the Left Parties withdrew their support to the UPA government that Mr Chatterjee who had come to the Lok Sabha on the CPM ticket, would resign. Such reports further got credence when the Left Parties submitted the lists of their MPs included the name of Mr Chatterjee, who did not support the Government.

UNI