Left Turn Ahead

Shedding its ideological rigidity, the CPI(M) declares itself open to electoral ‘understanding’ with the Congress and other parties to keep the BJP in check

- Amarnath K. Menon

On April 22, about 5,000 activists in red shirts and berets, some waving red flags, marched 5 km through the streets of Hyderabad to a rally marking the culmination of the 22nd Communist Party of India (Marxist) congress, signalling clearly that the Marxists, though down, are not out. After hemming and hawing over whether or not to join hands with other political parties, the CPI(M) announced that it is open to reaching an understanding with others, including the Congress, for prospective gains in the general elections next year. The party would first consider the policies of the ‘secular and democratic parties’ that wish to become part of an alternative and then decide on alliances at an appropriate time.

“If there is any single message that should go from this 22nd CPI(M) congress to the rank and file, to the country, and particularly to our class enemies, it is that the party has emerged united and is determined to put forward an alternative policy framework against the BJP,” said Sitaram Yechury, who was re-elected as party general secretary. It was a pyrrhic triumph for Yechury who had, in January, lost his argument to keep the door open for coordination with the principal opposition party, the Congress. The proposal was rejected 55-31 by the party’s central committee in Kolkata, forcing him to offer to step down. But the central committee asked Yechury to continue till his tenure ends in April.

At the party congress in Hyderabad, Yechury had his way, with the draft political resolution being rephrased (‘without having an understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress party’ was changed to ‘without having a political alliance with the Congress party’). It was a happy compromise of sorts without putting the issue to secret ballot, as was demanded by many.