The Hindu : Front Page : Bardhan keen to step down

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Monday, Aug 27, 2007
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Bardhan keen to step down

CPI leader cites his age as a constraint

A.B. Bardhan

New Delhi: Communist Party of India general secretary A.B. Bardhan has expressed his desire to step down from the post and wants the younger generation to take over the reins, a suggestion played down by the party on Sunday.

The 81-year-old leader spoke of his age as a constraint for the first time and the emerging younger generation in the CPI ahead of its party congress scheduled to be held in Hyderabad in March 2008.

“Our party congress is going to be held in Hyderabad. I will appeal there but I don’t think they will allow me to go,” Mr. Bardhan told PTI referring to his desire to retire from the top post.

The veteran leader, who took over the reins of the CPI in 1996 from Indrajit Gupta, said age was overtaking him as it was a natural phenomenon and this should be taken into consideration.

Earlier in an interview to NDTV, Mr. Bardhan spoke about the need for a change in the leadership while noting that for any party to move forward it has to move with the times and take into consideration the increasing age.

“You should understand that this aged man cannot always be the leader of CPI. A young generation is emerging,” he said and pointed out that all the secretaries, including D. Raja, Sudhakar Reddy and Gurudas Dasgupta, in his party were younger than him. “We will have to think about leadership change. Change and continuity in leadership should be there,” he added.

However, the CPI sought to play down Mr. Bardhan’s talk of retirement, with its national secretary D. Raja saying, “This was not an issue before the party. “It is for the whole party to consider and take a decision on such a thing,” he said. — PTI

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