Former Lok Sabha Speaker and MP Somnath Chatterjee passed away this morning at the age of 89. Somanth Chatterjee’s death marks the end of an era in the communist politics in India. Chatterjee’s political career saw vicissitudes. He joined the Communist party in 1968 and become a member of the all-powerful central committee of the party. However, Chatterjee hogged all the limelight during the much-debated nuclear agreement deal issue during which CPI(M) withdrew support to the UPA-I government. However, he decided not to resign from the post of the Lok Sabha Speaker. That move cost him his position in the party as he was expelled from CPI(M) for disciplinary reasons.
Chatterjee became a Member of the Lok Sabha in 1971 for the first time as an independent candidate supported by the CPI(M). Chatterjee was elected to Lok Sabha for a staggering 10 times and remained undefeated till 1984. He was beaten by Mamata Banerjee in a famous battle of David and Goliath in the Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency. The victory marked Banerjee’s rise in politics.
RIP Somnath Chatterjee: Former Lok Sabha Speaker dies at 89; PM Modi, Rahul condole demise of CPI(M) veteran
Chatterjee was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009. After the 2004 Lok Sabha General Election, Chatterjee was appointed as the pro tem speaker. He was subsequently elected as the Speaker of the 14th Lok Sabha. He was the second pro tem Speaker after Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar to be elected unanimously to the House. Chatterjee was adjudged as the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award in 1996.
Chatterjee had also taken a few path-breaking austerity measures. In a first, Chatterjee had stopped the practice of the national exchequer paying for toiletries and tea. Chatterjee had also insisted on paying the expenses of any accompanying family members on foreign trips.
An advocate by profession, Chatterjee had taken recluse from active politics in 2009. Talking about the expusion, Chatterjee had said that it was “one of the saddest days” of his life.