The rift within West Bengal CPI(M) over aligning with the Congress came out in open after the party's Kolkata district unit voted the anti-alliance lobby to power.
After a three-day long intense debate, members of the CPI(M) Kolkata district committee last night voted in favour of Kallol Majumdar, known to be as an hardliners and staunch critic of alliance or adjustment with the Congress, party sources said today.
Majumdar defeated senior leader and former minister Manab Mukherjee in 32-26 votes to became the district committee's new secretary.
Mukherjee, who had the blessings of the CPI(M) state leadership, failed to win after majority of members felt that a "young and dynamic" leader would make a better secretary, the sources said.
"This comes as a shock for the state leadership as they were pitching in favour of adjustment with the Congress. This voting and defeat of Mukherjee proves that the West Bengal unit is not united on this issue," said a senior CPI(M) state committee member.
The election of Majumdar comes a fortnight after the CPI(M) central committee voted against a draft political resolution, pitched by its General Secretary Sitaram Yechury proposing alliance with the Congress.
The party had adopted a draft resolution favoured by those supporting politburo member Prakash Karat ruling out any form of electoral alliance or adjustment with the Congress.
CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra, CPI(M) politburo member Biman Bose and many other top leaders were present during the district committee meeting. Both Bose and Mishra are known to be in favour of adjustment with the Congress in order to stop the juggernaut of the BJP.
The newly elected 60-member district committee has 15 new faces, including several leaders below the age of 35.
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