Somnath likely to decide his action by August 11

New Delhi, Jul 23 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who was expelled from CPI(M) today, is likely to communicate his decision to the President before the beginning of the monsoon session of Parliament on August 11.

Sources close to him said there is no change in the scheduled engagements of Mr Chatterjee, who is to attend the ten-day-long 54th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) conference at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia from August 1. Mr Chatterjee is slated to deliver two lectures in as many sessions of the Conference.

They added that Mr Chaterjee will apprise the President of his decision on return from Malaysia on August 10.

The Speaker, who attended his office in Parliament till 1400 hrs today, was home when televison channels broke the news of his expulsion by the CPI(M) Polit Bureau at around 1530 hrs.

Sources said he was not surprised by the party action because he was expecting it.

Mr Chatterjee had yesterday signed papers relating to division of votes on confidence motion by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Lok Sabha.

Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz, after meeting the Speaker at his residence, described his expulsion by his party as ''unfortunate.'' Describing Mr Chatterjee as a great statesman and Parliamentarian, Mr Soz said it would be an irreparable loss to Parliament if he quits.

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