Shyamal Chakraborty succumbed to Covid-19 on August 6.

The CPM state committee has decided to resume its online meeting on September 11 as several of its leaders have tested positive for Covid-19, sources said on Saturday.

After the nationwide lockdown was enforced from March to contain the spread of coronavirus, the CPM had been organising digital meetings. However, the last state committee meeting was held in the second week of July and was physically attended by party leaders from Kolkata and nearby districts.

Among the prominent CPM leaders who tested positive for Covid-19 were Shyamal Chakraborty, Md Salim, Ashok Bhattacharya, Anadi Kumar Sahu and Fuad Halim. While Chakraborty succumbed to the virus on August 6, the others have recuperated.

A senior CPM leader said, “Not only Chakraborty, but several other members who used to regularly visit the CPM state headquarters on Alimuddin Street have tested positive for Covid. So, at present the leaders, including party state secretary Surjya Kanta Misra, have stopped coming to the party office. Several party leaders are old and have medical complications and would be exposed to risk if they attend the meetings physically. So, the party has decided to organise a virtual meeting.”