Kolkata: Former Lok Sabha Speaker and CPI(M) veteran Somnath Chatterjee, who was expelled from the party in 2008, on Tuesday said he would consider rejoining the party if "approached properly."
"I am an old man now and I have retired from active politics. But I will consider to rejoin the party if I am approached properly by the party leadership," Chatterjee told PTI.
Nearly seven years after he was expelled by the CPI-M on the charge of "seriously compromising the position of the party" over Indo-US nuclear deal, a demand was raised for his return to the party he had served for more than 40 years in the last party conference in Kolkata.
The demand to take back the 10-time MP was raised during the 24th state conference of the party in the presence of then party general secretary Parkash Karat who played a key role in his expulsion in July 2008.
When inquired whether the leadership was having a thought regarding taking back Chatterjee, CPI-M politburo member Mohammed Salim refused to comment.