As faction led by former general secretary Prakash Karat prevailed over the central committee meeting, CPI(M) is likely to have no alliance with Congress in 2019 Lok sabha polls. General secretary Sitaram Yechuri on Sunday stated that the party congress will have the final say on the draft political resolution. This is after faction led by Prakash Karat former party general secretary had the upper hand, with their draft resolution ratified and adopted by the party’s central committee after winning by 55-31. Speaking at a press conference at party headquarters in Alimuddin Street in Kolkata, Yechuri said Left front on its own will accept the challenge of defeating BJP. The three-day central committee meeting was held in Kolkata. While Yechuri faction in its draft wanted secular forces (Congress) to join in the fight against BJP through a front, Karat faction wanted the party to achieve its primary objective of defeating BJP without entering into electoral alliance or front with ruling class parties like Congress. “As per the adopted resolution there is no alliance or electoral front with Congress. This is the political line. Left Front as Left Front will accept the challenge to thwart BJP. However, the draft political resolution will now go to party Congress which will take the final decision over the matter. Let's go to the party congress,” said Yechuri in the press conference while answering queries from the media. “This was not a vote to decide on who won or who lost. We have no alliance with Congress. At the time of the elections we will concretize our tactics” said Yechuri. Yechuri stated that now the draft political resolution will go to the rank and files of the party and then to the party congress for final say. “We will give a call to all the people to defeat BJP. It will be our primary objective in Tripura polls. Tripura polls will be the waterloo for BJP,” said Yechuri. Deliberations over the draft resolution started nearly four months ago and continued three politburo meetings two meetings of the central committee. However, both factions were yet to reach into an agreement. Finally, on the third meeting of the CC the resolution was adopted with amendments. Read | CPM in crisis as Central Committee rejects Sitaram Yechury’s draft of political resolution The resolution now will be placed before the party Congress to be held in April in Hyderabad. It would be the political line which the party will pursue for the next three years. Regarding Tripura polls he said, “ On one hand you have the BJP tomtoming on nationalism and saying that if somebody doesn’t say ‘Bharat Mata ki jay’ then he is not a patriot. And here in Tripura they are actually aligning with those extremist organizations which are born with the demand that Tripura should be separated from India. BJP is contradicting its own propaganda of Hindutva nationalism,” “They are trying to create tension between tribals and non-tribals but they are being met with the people of Tripura. These elections for the BJP will be the Waterloo,” said Yechuri. Tripura under the left rule, will go for assembly polls on February 18.
