CPM politburo rules out deal with Congress, will broaden base

Thiruvananthapuram: CPM politburo on Monday decided not to have understanding with the Congress, rejecting party general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Bengal state unit’s stand on the issue. The politburo took the stand during the course of  the discussions on the draft political resolution to be presented at the 22nd party Congress in Hyderabad next year, at its meeting in Delhi. Yechury and Bengal comrades had favoured broader understanding with the Congress to fight the BJP and the RSS.  They argued that in the current political situation where the BJP and Sangh Parivar were aggressively implementing the communal agenda and neo liberal policies, there was a need to bring all secular forces including Congress on a common platform.

However, a section of politburo members led by Prakash Karat and Kerala comrades opposed any tie up with the Congress. Instead they called for strengthening the Left parties and left democratic front. They stuck to the Vishakhapatnam party congress stand of not having any tie up with the Congress. The politburo decision will be placed before the central committee meeting to be held in Delhi from October 14 to 16. Yechury’s alternative line will be also figure at the meeting and a detailed debate is expected on the issue at the CC which will discuss the frame work of the political resolution.

Another central committee meeting will be held in January to give final touches to the draft political resolution. Though the party considers the BJP as enemy No 1, it is not keen to have an understanding with the Congress to fight the saffron brigade . The party acknowledged that the threat posed by RSS to the country was huge. Cow vigilantism, growing intolerance, lynchings in the name cow protection, attacks on dalits, tribal and minorities, undermining of constitutional institutions and polarisation aimed at creating a divide on religious lines were not only alarming but also threatened the very idea of India. Notwithstanding the BJP threat the party wants to stick to the stand taken at Vishakhapatnam Congress. While the Bengal party had suggested electoral understanding with the Congress and a section of CC members are also in favour of such a tie up, the Kerala faction is strongly opposed to any such move.