Somnath wishes to retire than rejoin CPM

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 8: Indian Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee on Friday, Aug 8 said he would retire at the end of his term and was not keen on rejoining the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM). Somnath, who is leading a parliamentary delegation to the 54th Commonwealth Parliament Association Meeting here, said he was very proud to be a party member.

"It was the saddest day of my life when I was expelled. There is no initiative on my part to rejoin," the Speaker said in an interview. "I want to lead a retired life. "I don't believe in (going to) Vrindavan, I will go to a small corner of my state, far from the maddening crowd and lead a retired life," he added. The 79-year-old veteran parliamentarian, whose term will end early next year, stressed that there was an unprecedented public response when the party expelled him.

"I take it as an overwhelming people's desire that Parliament should function properly, which is the most important body in the country representing the people as a whole," he further said.

When asked about why he did not resign from the party when he became the Speaker, Chatterjee said: "I consciously decided not to take part in any affairs of the party. Sitting on the chair I never espoused any cause," adding that there should be a convention for the Speaker to temporarily resign from the party for his tenure.

ANI