Veteran parliamentarian and a prominent communist leader from the Indian State of West Bengal Somnath Chatterjee is expected to become the next Speaker of the Indian parliament. The politburo of the CPM (Communist Party Marxist) nominated Mr. Chatterjee for this position. CPM is supporting the new coalition government led by Prime Minister Monmohon Singh of the Congress Party but has decided not to join the cabinet. When elected, Somnath Chatterjee will be the first Bengali to occupy this important position in India.