A 10-time Lok Sabha MP, Chatterjee was a central committee member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, which he had joined in 1968. He was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009.
As Railway motormen brought Mumbai to a standstill, MPs, including from Congress, on Tuesday paralysed functioning of Parliament over the issue, expressing solidarity with striking employees and targeting Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee for failing to avert the situation.
Communist Party of India - Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat on Sunday stated that the Left parties would not compromise on the demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the 2G spectrum scam.The CPI-M leader underlined the urgent need for an alternative economic policy as the people were reeling under scorching prices for the 'wrong policies adopted by the United Progressive Alliance'.
Claiming that their recent nationwide strike was a "big success", CPI(M) on Wednesday said it would intensify the struggle against rising prices and would not be deterred by the "politically motivated propaganda" about losses the hartal caused to the nation.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA and Left Parties, including the CPI-M and CPI, have organised a 'Bharat Bandh' on Monday to protest against rising inflation and the hike in prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
Left parties would launch an offensive in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament against the United Progressive Alliance government hiking prices of petroleum products, Communist Party of India-Marxist member of the Parliament Basudeb Acharya has said.
'It was the only moment in the three days of Obamania on Indian television that the poor Leftist leader -- no puns please -- looked bushed. So much so, that a rightwing party leader who was also on the panel reached out and gently pressed the Leftist's hand, as a father does to a wounded child.'
Top Left leaders Prakash Karat (Communist Party of India-Marxist), A B Bardhan (Communist Party of India), Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc) and Abani Roy (Revolutionary Socialist Party), led the demonstration near Parliament House.
The Left parties will greet visiting US President Barack Obama on Monday with protests but their MPs, barring the Forward Bloc (which has two MPs in the Lok Sabha and one in the Rajya Sabha), will listen to him when he addresses Parliament.
CPI-M calls her bid 'desperate attempt to save herself'.
'No, the liberals haven't lost because there weren't any liberals in the fray to begin with.' 'What has happened is that left-wing orthodoxy has lost to right-wing orthodoxy.' 'That is at best a Pyrrhic victory for India,' argue Sonali Ranade and Sheilja Sharma.
Even as political acrimony over the Nuclear Liability Bill rages in and outside Parliament, India's old-time friend Russia has clearly told the Indian establishment that it will not accept any liability for the supply of equipment and other material to help India build its nuclear power plants, either in the present or future.
The latest updates from the Malayalam film industry.
Bowing to pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left parties, government on Friday dropped a controversial addition in the civil nuclear liability bill which the Opposition said diluted the liability of suppliers for accidents caused by their negligence.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar he will oppose a case of sedition against JNUSU oresident Kanhaiya Kumar, reports M I Khan.
Ahead of the 2009 general elections in India, the United States was worried about a possible Third Front coming to power with the Left parties playing a major role in it.
'Rahul is misguided by a handful of family retainers who don't want him to show unrestrained initiative in forming allies.' says Sudhir Bisht.
Doctors, who monitored Jagan's health condition said that the ketones in his body have risen which may lead to kidney-related problems.
The nationwide strike called by Left parties and their allies to protest Centre's "failure" to check price rise on Tuesday hit normal life across the country.
"The prime minister should either bring down prices or leave his chair," Yadav told reporters.
Sources said the impact of the bandh is likely to be the worst in at least 10 states where the opposition was holding reins. The bandh is also expected to have total impact in states like Maharashtra.
'Sharad Yadav was deeply hurt by Nitish Kumar's decision, taken without consulting the senior party leaders at a time when opposition unity was to be strengthened against the BJP. He felt ignored and is likely to take a final stand soon.'
The government is understood to be considering changes in the nuclear liability bill, including a proposal to drop a crucial clause that would compel a foreign nuclear supplier to provide for compensation in case of accidents due to wilful action or gross negligence.
The Budget and related appropriation bills were passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Bedi's counter attack put the Congress-headed government on defensive.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said he was confident that the Congress and Trinamool Congress would contest next year's assembly elections in West Bengal jointly even though the two parties are going to fight separately in coming civic polls.
Manmohan Singh, reveals the former President, was keen that either P Chidambaram or Montek Singh Ahluwalia be the finance minister.
Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Prakash Karat on Wednesday held a meeting with Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and is understood to have discussed the evolving political situation in the wake of the controversy over the ordinance to protect convicted lawmakers.
The government said on Monday food inflation has started easing and will fall to an acceptable level of 5-6 per cent in due course, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance and Left Parties went ahead with a nationwide strike to protest against rising prices.
While Karat is opposed to any understanding with the Congress, Yechury is of the view that the situation warrants putting together a national alternative to the BJP, reports Archis Mohan.
How effective are strikes to solve an issue as vexing as this? Aren't strikes a bane for a nation already reeling under a heavy dose of inflation?
Besides the four Left parties, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Telugu Desam Party, Samajwadi Party, Biju Janata Dal, Janata Dal-Secular and Indian National Lok Dal "have decided to call for a country-wide hartal on July five", a joint statement by top leaders of CPI-M, CPI, Revolutionary Socialist Party and Forward Bloc said in New Delhi.
'Hinduism is the mother of all religions; communal hatred should not be spread in its name.'
The second phase of the Budget session of Parliament commenced on Thursday with all the attention turning on Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said the government has an "open mind" on the nuclear liability bill and is ready to discuss any "deficiencies" in the proposed legislation that is facing stiff opposition from BJP and Left parties.
Political parties should not be brought under the ambit of the Right to Information Act by terming them 'public authorities', as this would not only hamper their smooth working but help political rivals to file pleas with malicious intention to seek information, the government told the Supreme Court on Monday.
The Congress insisted on Monday that the nuclear liability bill was in "public interest" in tune with international paradigms and attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party and Left parties for opposing it, saying they had "blinkered vision".
A final call will be taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday.
Opposition parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party, the All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam and Left parties came together in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday to demand revocation of suspension of seven members, but the ruling Congress said those showing disrespect to Chair should express regret before such a move is initiated.
Seeking to reassert Jawaharlal Nehru's legacy, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said secularism is a compelling necessity for a country as diverse as India.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances