The CPI(M)’s draft political resolution is stuck in a tussle over words, threatening to split the party in the middle at the four-day meeting of top-most decision-making body scheduled to begin on Friday in Kolkata.
The two draft political resolutions, the majority one backed by former general secretary Prakash Karat and the minority one backed by general secretary Sitaram Yechury have marginal differences and yet the party has not been able to arrive at a common draft.
A vote on the two resolutions in the central committee is expected on the lines of last October central committee when out of 63 speakers, 31 spoke in favour of Mr. Yechury and 32 spoke in favour of Mr. Karat’s proposition. If Mr. Yechury’s proposition is voted out even though marginally, it will have a significant impact on his position. A general secretary can get up to three terms, as per the party constitution. Mr. Yechury’s first term ends in April this year.
The two drafts agree that the objective is to defeat the BJP and the communal forces. The difference is on how to achieve this end. Each of the draft has listed out five points on how to achieve this end. At least two of these points in both the drafts are same. Both drafts say that the party needs to work to “strengthen” its independent capacity to make interventions and strengthen Left unity through mass struggles.
New front proposed
Mr. Yechury’s draft then goes on to say that a left democratic “front” needs to be created as a policy alternative. Next, it recommends that all secular forces need to be incorporated in anti-communal campaigns. And lastly, “In election, the objective is to oust the BJP government without entering any electoral front or alliance with the ruling class parties,” it says.
Anti-BJP vote
Only marginally departing from this draft, the one backed by Mr. Karat says, “We need to maximise anti-BJP vote without any understanding or an alliance.” It however adds that in States where regional parties are dominant, the CPI(M) can be in a front with the regional party even if the Congress too has allied with them. It then goes on to say that in States where there is a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress, the party should contest only few seats. “In the rest of the seats, we should campaign against the BJP,” the draft says.
Sources say that Mr. Yechury and Polit Bureau member S. Ramachandran Pillai did try to iron out the differences and arrive at a common draft. The talks, however, failed.
“There are many contradictions in the so-called majority draft. It is suspect; by foregoing the possibility of building an alternative, you are allowing the BJP and communal forces to continue,” a senior CPI(M) leader said.
Also there are questions on if the CPI(M) indeed enters into an alliance with regional parties who are in alliance with the Congress, like they are in Tamil Nadu with the DMK, would they not campaign in Congress candidate’s seat in favour of the alliance.
A section of leaders are also asking what does it mean to campaign against the BJP in States where the BJP and the Congress are in direct contest, wouldn’t this in effect mean campaigning for the Congress.
