Defying a CPI-M directive to quit his post before the trust vote, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Monday chaired an all-party meeting in New Delhi ahead of the special session of the Lok Sabha to decide on the confidence motion.

The Speaker had called the meeting of the floor leaders of parties to discuss issues related to the trust vote being sought by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the wake of the Left withdrawing support to the UPA on the nuclear deal issue.

When asked whether he still remains the Speaker, Chatterjee evaded a reply as he entered Parliament House.

The meeting was attended among others by Sharad Pawar (NCP), Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP), V K Malhotra (BJP), Basudev Acharya (CPI-M) and Ajit Singh (RLD).

The CPI-M had asked the Speaker, who is on a collision course with the party leadership, to resign from office ahead of the confidence vote in the Lok Sabha.

However, sources close to the Speaker said that he was not aware of any communication in this regard and the only statement he was aware of was what CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat had stated two days ago that he should take his own decision.

Chatterjee, who has repeatedly stated that the Speaker's office should not be dragged into political controversy, has not obliged the party leadership which has been pressing him to quit the constitutional office.