The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday recommended expelling its Rajya Sabha MP from West Bengal, Ritabrata Banerjee, for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities, The Hindu reported. This comes two days after he levelled allegations against senior CPI(M) leaders during an interview with a regional television channel.
The West Bengal State Secretariat of the CPI(M) has sent the recommendation to the party’s central committee. “This is just a formality because central committee members have already decided to expel him from the party,” an unidentified party official was quoted as saying by CNN-News18. “His expulsion will be official very soon.”
In the interview, Banerjee had claimed that the CPI(M) central leadership was “anti-Bengali”. He also alleged that politburo members Prakash Karat and Brinda Karat had blocked party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury’s return to the Rajya Sabha.
Banerjee had also claimed that Mohammad Salim, another politburo member, had been given a spot in the party’s highest body because it has a quota for Muslims.
On June 2, Banerjee was expelled from the party for three months allegedly for his “lavish lifestyle” and for using expensive gadgets, which is against the ideology of the communist party. A three-member inquiry commission, led by Mohammed Salim, was set up to look into the complaints against him.
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