Chatterjee need not resign : Congress

New Delhi, July 14 (UNI) The Congress today said there was no need for Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to resign in the light of the political developments as "he is holding a party-less post." The Congress reaction came amid reports that Mr Chatterjee, a top leader of the CPI(M), might resign from the post in the context of the Left parties withdrawing their support to the Manmohan Singh Goovernment.

"It is for the CPI(M) to decide...It is for the individual to decide," AICC Spokesman Abishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons, in reply to question if the Congress favoured the resignation of Mr Chatterjee.

Mr Singhvi, however, said : "The Parliamentary history and the convention tell us that the Speaker's post is a party-less post. He sheds the (political) robes, colour and affiliation when he becomes Speaker." "That convention should be kept in mind," he said, in a clear indication that the Congress P is not in favour of Mr Chatterjee's resignation.

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