Biman makes way, Mishra is chief of new, ‘younger’ West Bengal CPM

Surya Kanta Mishra with Biman Bose in Kolkata on Friday. (Source: PTI)

As anticipated, politburo member Surya Kanta Mishra on Friday replaced veteran Biman Bose as the West Bengal CPM secretary.

Politburo member Sitaram Yechury, who presided over the selection process, said: “The choice of Mishra was unanimous.”

The decision, announced on the concluding day of the CPM’s 24th state conference in Kolkata, puts on Mishra the dual responsibility of being Leader of Opposition in the assembly and the CPM state secretary — a distinction that party old-timers said only Jyoti Basu has had earlier.

Basu, CPM patriarch and chief minister from 1977 to 2000, was chosen state secretary for consecutive terms in 1953, 1956 and 1959, when he was also Leader of Opposition in the state legislature.

Twenty-three new faces were inducted in the 85-member state committee. Nineteen of them are said to be in the age group of 30-50 years. There are 10 women in the new committee, and an equal number of Muslims. Bose, former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and senior leaders Gautam Deb and Md Selim remain in the committee.

Bose said, “It was like a snapshot decision to select Surya Kanta Mishra as our new party secretary.” Bose remains chairman of the Left Front for now; a change there must involve other LF constituents, a committee member said.

Prominent among the 11 members dropped from the state committee are trade union leader and ex-politburo member Md Amin, former state minister and politburo member Nirupam Sen, former assembly speaker Hashim Abdul Halim, Kolkata district committee member Raghunath Kusari, and former MP Tarit Topdar. All of them have been made Special Invitees to the committee.

Mishra said: “I now have added responsibility towards the party, cadres, and millions of common people and the socially deprived. I promise to face the challenges before me till the last drop of my blood.”

Mishra, who was born in 1949 and is an MBBS doctor from SCB Medical College, Cuttack, assumes charge at a time when the CPM and the Left movement are passing through a crisis. Mishra is known for his steadfast belief in communism, and the resolve to take the movement forward.

On Friday, he outlined his prime responsibility: “Trinamool Congress hataao, Bengal bachaao; BJP hataao, desh bachaao.” Mishra, who was among the few Left stalwarts who could hold on to their seats in the Trinamool wave of 2011, has been an energetic and witty Leader of Opposition in the assembly.

Source:: Indian Express