Time to retire: Somnath Chatterjee

Chandigarh, Sep 23 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today made it clear that he would not contest next Lok Sabha elections and would retire from electoral politics after the expiry of the present term of the House.

''Ab to retirement ka time ho gaya (It's time to retire now),'' quipped Mr Chatterjee when he was asked whether he would contest the elections again and the country could see him as the Lok Sabha Speaker after next elections as well.

To a question, he agreed that it was a good convention in Britain that a former Speaker was not opposed by other parties if he contested Parliamentary elections again.

But in India, he said, it would be very difficult to maintain such a convention as there were so many parties. Each and every party would not be ready to observe such a convention.

UNI MA BP1525