Asok to cease to be in Darj dist CPM panel

SNS, SILIGURI, 25 NOVEMBER 21 : Veteran CPI- M leader Asok Bhattacharya has said he will cease to be a member in the party's Darjeeling district committee, given the age ceiling for members.

A two-day district CPI-M conference is set to begin in Siliguri on 11 December.

The party has capped an age bar for all its members in August. Accord to the decision, a party member who crosses 65 is relieved front the area committee, while for the district committee the highest age ceiling is 70, and 72 for the state committee. The age limit for the Central Committee members is 75.

The 72-year-old former minister and former Siliguri mayor, Mr Bhattacharya, who has been the district and state committee secretariat member, today said, "The party's central committee has fixed an age bar for its members. So naturally, members who cross the age threshold will no longer remain in the committees. The age bar for the district committee is 70 years, for the state committee the limit is 72 years, and 75 years for the Central Commit tee. If my age crosses the limit, how can I be there?"

The Central Committee is the highest decision-making body of the party which, in turn, elects the Politburo from its members.

The purpose of such a decision is to bring in fresh faces Mr Bhattacharya said.

"The party has taken the decision to pave way for young faces in the different rungs. It wants to infuse youthful energy into the party," said Mr Bhattacharya, who has been in the district committee since 1980, and party member for the last 53 years.