CPM LIKELY TO GO SOLO IN BENGAL, KERALA IN BLOW TO OPPOSITION UNITY

The Communist Party of India-Marxist appears all set to deliver a blow to the 28-party I.N.D.I.A. bloc by going solo in the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal and Kerala

- RAHUL CHHABRA

However, the party is not likely to make any public announcement over the decision any time soon, said sources. The Left party’s politburo is said to have arrived at a decision not to enter into any seat adjustment with any party from the bloc in the two states, a decision which may provoke other bloc constituents to break away from the alliance in some states.

Senior CPM leader Sitaram Yechury had earlier cast aspersions over the efficacy of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc at the national level. He said the grouping could only be seen as a medium for state-level seat adjustment.

During the recent CPM politburo meeting, the Kerala unit of the CPM raised the issue of fighting Lok Sabha elections without any seat arrangement with the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. The CPM and the Congress, which are constituents of the bloc, lead two rival political fronts in the southern state.