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Journalism of Courage
For a political party so resolute in denouncing any reform for better economic fundamentals or more efficient organisation, the CPI has been glaringly quick to seek a key corporate ploy: merger and acquisition. In recent days its leaders have used their messengers of choice 8212; the media 8212; to sound out comrades in the CPIM on a proposal that the two left parties unite. It is a reassuring signal for Indian polity that the CPIM refused to be drawn into ideological polemic, and that its coalition man, Harkishen Singh Surjeet, rebuffed the overture unequivocally. For the CPI this should come as a moment of truth. Its stated desire for left unity cannot hide the underlying self-serving objective: to evade the ever-looming threat of derecognition as a national party a possibility that the CPI survived just months ago and to lay claim to the CPIM8217;s strong electoral mandate. And if it truly wants closer association with the CPIM it should seek a primer from that party on how to run coalitions.
The CPI has been incredibly opportunistic in its uses of political power. Remember, it was part of the United Front governments of Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral. During that stint in power, it went along with the proposal to dismantle the administered price mechanism. But now 8212; out of government, and determined to compensate for its slim pickings in Lok Sabha with televised diktats and threats 8212; it even opposes milder reform. It went along with Chidambaram8217;s dream budget in 1997, only to now resist sensible economic policy and issue ultimatums to the prime minister. In fact, the United Front8217;s common minimum programme carried much more commitment to disinvestment that the CPI would allow the UPA coalition, to which it proffers only outside support.
