CPI (M) Politburo begins discussions on poll debacle

New Delhi, May 18 (ANI): The CPI (M) politburo meeting on Monday began to discuss the poll debacle.

The meeting is being held amid reports that West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has offered to quit.

Politburo member and Left Front chairman Biman Bose described the report as "rubbish".

Bhattacharjee is not attending the meeting, as he has to oversee the law and order situation in West Bengal after the announcement polls.

Apart from Bose, CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, Nirupam Sen, Pinarayi Vijayan, M K Pandhe, S R Pillai and the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Tripura, V S Achuthanandan and Manik Sarkar are attending the meeting.

The politburo is expected to seriously introspect the causes of their poll debacle, especially in their bastions of West Bengal and Kerala.

The other issues that could be taken up are land acquisition for industries, corruption and infighting on national issues.

The Left tally was an abysmal 24 compared to the 2004 figure of 61. (ANI)