Biman Bose re-elected CPI-M’s Bengal state secretary

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Sunday re-elected Biman Bose as the secretary of its West Bengal unit at its 23rd state conference, while several controversial leaders were dropped from the newly-elected state committee.

A party politburo member, Bose has been elected as the state secretary for the second time.

Former MPs like Laxman Seth, Anil Basu and Amitabh Nandi failed to make it to the newly-elected 83-member state committee. Several old and ailing leaders were also dropped.

Party insiders say it was former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee who wanted the party not to induct Seth, Basu and Nandi due to their allegedly controversial image.

East Midnapore strongman Seth’s name figures in the FIR filed in a case connected to the violent incidents in Nandigram of East Midnapore district in 2007.

Hooghly strongman Basu, who had drawn widespread criticism for making vulgar comments against Mamata Banerjee just before last year’s assembly polls, has also been accused of playing factional politics within the district.

An influential leader of North 24 Parganas district, Nandi is accused of flaring factionalism in the district.

Several members who did not wish to continue, due to old age, have been dropped from the panel. But some of them have been made special invitee to the state committee.

Among the leaders who wished to discontinue were former speaker Hashim Abdul Halim and former Purulia district secretary Nakul Mahato.

The party has inducted 12 new faces in the state committee.

Former higher education minister Sudarshan Roychowdhury, student wing leader Sayandip Mitra, and former panchyat minister Anisur Rahman are among those who have found berths in the committee.