Communist Party of India leader D. Raja said on Tuesday that the party saw Left reunification as necessary at a juncture when the BJP was on the rise. Asked whether this meant a potential move to become a single Communist party, Mr. Raja said in an interaction with The Hindu , “Definitely. What is the big difference [in CPI and CPI(M) stands] on national issues?”
Founded in 1925, the Communist Party of India split in 1964 over differences with regard to the nature of the Indian state, with the faction that became CPI(M) accusing the CPI of “revisionism”, or deviation from core Marxist premises. Another cause of the split was the growing differences between the USSR and Communist China, with the CPI(M) more in line with the latter.
‘Communists must respond to the call of history’
Days before the CPI national executive meetings on May 28 and 29, Mr. Raja tells The Hindu that the Congress will have to review its policies for an understanding with the Left and to win back the people’s trust.
Do you think there should be an alliance with the Congress to stop the BJP?
The Congress will have to review its policies... Who will be their leader is for them to decide. But on the same old policies, the Congress can’t fight the BJP and cannot win back the confidence of the people.
Was it a wrong decision to make adjustments with the Congress in Bengal?
That is one issue we are going to debate in our national executive.
In case the Cong. doesn’t rethink its economic policies, will you make adjustments with them for secularism?
It is going to be a problem and the Left has to go to the people with an alternative... Secularism alone is not enough. You will have to fight for social justice and economic development with social justice.
What are your thoughts on the future of the Left Front in the midst of some electoral reverses?
As far as the CPI is concerned, we have been talking about reunification of the communist movement. Issues which were there at the time of the split in the communist movement are no more there today. At the international level, we have relations with the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and Communist Party of China. There are annual meets of communists. Both of us participate. In one meeting they asked what is the big difference between the CPI and the CPI(M)? Now history is forcing these issues on the CPI and CPI(M)... We are talking about reunification of the communist movement.
Will this be on the agenda in your coming national executive?
It may not be part of the agenda right now. In the coming days this issue will come up. The situation has drastically changed. The Indian Right is in power. What role will the Indian Left play? The Indian Left has to emerge as a force to confront the Indian Right and lead and shape the political movement in the country. Finally, we are fighting for power and we cannot be on the periphery all the time. We should come to the mainstream, the centre stage, for which the communists should respond to the call of history on their unity and reunification.
Reunification means potentially coming together as a single party?
Definitely. What is the big difference now on national issues?
