CPI(M) rejects Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's offer to step down as CM

West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is so frustrated with his party’s poor show in the civic polls that he’s offered to step down.

He will also skip the CPI(M) politburo meeting in Delhi on June 5 and June 6, which is supposed to do a post-mortem of the civic poll results.

Buddha conveyed his wish to party colleagues at a crucial state secretariat meeting on Thursday.

Though the state secretariat accepted his proposal to skip the politburo meeting, it did not accept his offer to quit.

Before leaving for Delhi on Friday to attend the politburo meet, CPI(M) state secretary and Left Front chairman Biman Bose confirmed Bhattacharjee would not be present.

“There have been several incidents of post-poll violence, hence Bhattacharjee will stay back in Bengal to control the situation,” he said.

Though the chief minister  offered to give up his chair, other leaders weren’t willing to take responsibility at this juncture. “The party’s contention is that if the chief minister steps down, it will send a message to the people that he is evading responsibility. However, certain other leaders believe no decision Bhattacharjee takes will end CPI(M)’s poor run in the state,” a source in the party state committee said.

Meanwhile, Bengal industry and commerce minister Nirupam Sen has also decided to skip the politburo meeting citing personal engagements. With Sen and Bhattacharjee out, the only representative from West Bengal at the meeting would be Bose.