The Hindu : National : "Wide approval" for CPI(M)'s support to UPA Government

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Friday, Apr 08, 2005

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National

"Wide approval" for CPI(M)'s support to UPA Government

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 7. The approach of the party and its decision to support from outside the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government found "wide approval" in the deliberations at the party congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) here today.

The 18th congress took up the draft political resolution for discussions after Polit Bureau member, Prakash Karat, introduced and explained the main features of the document, including the role in the formation of the UPA Government. He emphasised that supporting the coalition government did not mean the CPI(M) would give up its independent role and that it would oppose any policy measure that adversely affected national sovereignty, interests of the working people and an independent foreign policy.

The fact that the party received lesser number of amendments to the political resolution compared to the last Hyderabad congress was interpreted by Mr. Karat as a "wider acceptance of the tactical line" the CPI(M) adopted after the last Lok Sabha elections and its approach to the UPA.

Briefing correspondents, Mr. Karat said the approach and intervention has found wide approval and acceptance among the party delegates. This also found reflection in the deliberations of various State conferences in the run-up to the party congress.

The congress could discuss any issue and there were at least two or three amendments suggesting that the CPI(M) withdraw support to the UPA Government, in case it did not implement the Common Minimum Programme. Asked if there were any suggestions that the party consider joining the coalition government, Mr. Karat said there were none so far.

There was a view that the party, which has so far intervened in economic issues, should ensure that political issues such as the commitment of the government to fight communalism also were taken up. The delegates sought to know what would be the gains for the people after intervention by the party.

Another point that emerged during the deliberations was that a critical analysis should be conducted of the united front tactics adopted by the party in States such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. "We find that the State units were narrating experiences of relations with other parties'' and discussing whether through the united front the party was able to expand its areas of influence of conceding ground to an ally at the party's expense.

As regards the third political alternative, he said, while there was need for some non-Congress, non-BJP parties to come together on a common platform this was not possible immediately. He said the CPI(M) has not rejected the idea floated by the Samajwadi Party but did not want it to be either a premature formation or just an electoral alliance.

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