New Delhi, July 23: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Wednesday expelled Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee after he refused to follow the party's advice to resign from the post.
Chatterjee had been under pressure to quit the constitutional post after the four left parties withdrew support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government following their differences over the India-US nuclear deal.
However, the 79-year-old veteran parliamentarian refused to toe the party line and steered the house during the crucial session Monday and Tuesday in which the government proved its majority.
Seven members of the 14-member politburo of the CPI-M met Wednesday morning and took the decision to expel Chatterjee for defying the party line.
