Sushanta Ghosh Removed from CPM State Committee: Major Shake-Up in West Bengal’s Left Politics

Veteran Leaders Dropped as CPM Restructures State Committee

Kolkata: The speculations have turned out to be true. Former minister Sushanta Ghosh has been removed from the CPM state committee, along with several other prominent leaders. The decision was taken during the 27th state conference of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM], where an 80-member state committee was elected unanimously. Among them, 14 are women, and Mohammad Salim has been elected as the state secretary.

The removal of Sushanta Ghosh has sparked discussions within political circles, as his name was previously associated with serious allegations made by a woman party member.

The CPM leadership had received complaints against Sushanta Ghosh a few months ago, which led to his removal from his position as the district secretary of Paschim Medinipur. However, he was retained in the state committee until the latest reshuffle.

📌 A woman party leader had raised allegations against him, leading to his initial removal as district secretary.
📌 Despite the allegations, he remained in the state committee until the state conference.
📌 The party has now taken a firm stance and excluded him from the new list.
📌 He has also been removed from the Paschim Medinipur district committee.

This move marks a dramatic decline in Ghosh’s political career, as he was once considered an influential leader in West Bengal’s Left politics.

Sushanta Ghosh’s rise in CPM politics began in the late 1990s, particularly during the Keshpur conflicts. Prior to that, he was an MLA but had limited influence. However, his aggressive role in Keshpur helped him gain prominence in the party, and he eventually became a minister in Buddhadeb Bhattacharya’s cabinet.

However, after the CPM lost power in 2011, Ghosh was arrested in connection with the Benachapra Skeleton Case, where multiple skeletons were found near his residence. He spent several days in jail before being released on bail. This controversy significantly impacted his standing within the party.

Now, with his removal from the state committee, political analysts believe his future in active politics is almost over.

Sushanta Ghosh is not the only leader who has been excluded from the newly formed state committee. Several other veteran leaders have also been dropped:

📌 Ashok Bhattacharya (North Bengal leader, former minister) was removed earlier.
📌 Jibesh Sarkar (another key North Bengal leader) has now been excluded.
📌 Amiya Patra (senior CPM leader from Bankura) has been removed due to age but given a special invitee position.
📌 Vikas Bhattacharya (the only Rajya Sabha MP from Bengal) has been dropped from both the state committee and the special invitee list.

These exclusions indicate a major reshuffling within the CPM and a potential shift in leadership strategies.

While several veterans have been removed, 11 new faces have been added to the 80-member state committee. Some key additions include:

📌 Tirthankar Roy (a young trade union leader from Hooghly)
📌 Shantanu De (recognized for modernizing the party’s digital and theoretical outreach)
📌 Anju Kar (appointed as the chairperson of the Control Commission)

Interestingly, despite speculations, youth leader Koltatan Dasgupta was not included in the committee. It is believed that his recent arrest in the RG Kar case played a role in this decision.

The reshuffling of the CPM state committee signals a strategic shift within the party. The removal of several veteran leaders from North Bengal has left a leadership vacuum in the region.

📌 Absence of experienced leaders in North Bengal may weaken the party’s influence in the region.
📌 Younger leaders are being promoted, but many feel the leadership transition is still incomplete.
📌 CPM is looking to modernize its approach, but the exclusion of student-youth leaders raises concerns about generational change.

While the party’s restructuring may provide fresh leadership, it has also sparked internal tensions that could affect CPM’s performance in the upcoming elections