CPI(M) MP Ritabrata Banerjee Expelled for Anti-Party Activity

The CPI(M) on Friday expelled its Rajya Sabha member Ritabrata Banerjee for "gross anti-party activity", its West Bengal secretary Surya Kanta Mishra said.

For gross anti-party activity, Ritabrata Banerjee has been expelled from the primary membership of the party. On 13 September, the decision was taken at the party’s state secretariat meeting. The decision was endorsed by CPI(M) Politburo.

Surya Kanta Mishra, West Bengal secretary said

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In a recent interview to a vernacular TV channel, Banerjee had lambasted the probe commission headed by Politburo member Md Selim. The commission was set up by the party to look into the charges against him.

He had also made critical comments against Politburo member, Prakash Karat.

Mishra said that Banerjee was suspended from the party in June for three months, after allegations of breaking the party’s discipline.

A three-member internal inquiry committee was formed to look into the allegations and the committee had submitted its report in August and found him guilty.

Following this, the CPI(M) West Bengal committee removed Banerjee from it, and had sent a recommendation to the Central Committee seeking his punishment. He was also asked to rectify himself, Mishra said.

But several attempts to rectify him failed, and instead of rectifying himself, he continued to malign the image of the party. On 11 September, in a television interview, he publicly tried to malign the party, and on that basis, the state secretariat decided decided to expel him (Banerjee) from the party.

Surya Kanta Mishra 

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