Cong loses old comfort zone in CPM

After releasing a book on Communists who participated in the freedom struggle yesterday, Basu had told reporters that while the Congress depended on the Left, the Left too depended on the Congress.

Basu, who has been among the foremost critics of communalism, sounded as though he would rather compromise a bit on economic issues than do anything harsh to ensure the return of a BJP-led government.

And today, Basu said in his concluding remarks that his party recognized the Congress to be a non-communal party. ‘‘We wanted a secular government in power,’’ he said, urging both the UPA and the Left to ‘‘be patient with and tolerant towards each other’’.

For a veteran politburo member who along with Surjeet had forged closer ties with the Congress in recent years, this appeal was meant specifically for the ears of hardliners, who wanted the party to wage war against the Congress’ economic policies. It appeared that Basu was aware that he would not be able to frequent Delhi and was desperate to use this forum to send across his message.

Neither Karat nor Sitaram Yechury later displayed such a pro-Congress stand at the public rally in Ramlila Maidan. They, in fact, lashed out at the Congress for its ‘‘anti-people’’ economic policies.

Of course, one has to take into account that Karat is talking to the cadre who would have to take on the Congress in West Bengal and Kerala less than a year from now. Also, he is addressing that section of functionaries who have grown up on a rich diet of Marxist economic thought and believe that even a small deviation was revisionism or opportunism. He cannot risk giving the Congress the impression that he would sacrifice one or two of his economic beliefs because secularism has to be protected at all costs.

In recent months, some have interpreted this as a hard line. But Karat played out this card during the Patents (Amendment) Bill deliberations between the UPA leadership and the Left, as he guided his MPs from behind. Instead of being a hardliner, he seems more keen on projecting that he is a hard nut to crack.

It is to be seen how Karat and the party are able to use Sitaram Yechury, especially in the party’s dealings with the UPA.

First woman in Politburo

NEW DELHI: Like Jyoti Basu, the CPI(M)’s first woman Politburo member, Brinda Karat was inspired to join the Communist movement in London. Once elected Miss Miranda House, she went to Kolkata in the late 1960s to join the party. She moved back to Delhi in the 70s and like husband Prakash Karat, whom she married in 1975, went underground to evade arrest.

Karat headed the All India Democratic Women’s Association, the women’s wing of the party, from 1993 to 2004. She had created quite a stir when she walked out of the party’s 16th congress, protesting the lack of women nominees in the Central Committee. — ENS