West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who is facing flak for a string of electoral defeats of CPI-M, today found support from former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who said there was no need for him to step down.

"The trust vote was a crucial time when he defied the party and supported Congress so, there is no reason of taking him back," CPI-M polit bureau member M K Pandhe told reporters in the capital.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who was expelled from CPI-M in the wake of Left withdrawal of support to the UPA Government, on Wednesday said the party will get "reduced number" of seats this time but will play an "important role" after the polls.

The next Lok Sabha will miss the towering presence of two Parliamentarians -- A B Vajpayee and Somnath Chatterjee -- who witnessed the blooming of Indian Parliamentary system in the past 40 years.

In a stinging attack at his former party, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee Tuesday said the CPI-M has reduced itself to a "non-actor" in national politics after withdrawing support to the Congress-led coalition, describing the action as a "big blunder".