Won't appeal for return to CPM: Somnath

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Tuesday appeared lukewarm to the speculations on bringing him back to the Communist Party of India-Marxist, saying that he would not appeal to the party.

"I won't appeal," Chatterjee told PTI over phone when asked if he would like to be taken back to the party.

Stating that he was not aware of any such move, Chatterjee said, "I just read about in newspapers. Nobody told me anything about this."

Asked for his reaction if the CPI-M, with which he was associated for five decades, took him back, Chatterjee retorted, "it is a hypothetical question."

Chatterjee, who was yet to reconcile himself with his expulsion seven months ago, said he had not done anything that could warrant such a harsh action against him.

Asked to comment upon West Bengal Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty's letter to state party secretary Biman Bose, seeking his return to the party, he said: "I have no knowledge. No idea. I did not call for a review or reconsideration of the decision of the party which took the step after consideration. They (CPI-M) have a right to take a decision."

Meanwhile, Chakraborty on Tuesday confirmed he had written to Biman Bose about bringing Chatterjee back.

"Chatterjee is a veteran and a top-ranking leader of the party and people like him should not be kept out. He should be taken back," Chakraborty said.