CPM takes stock of evolving political scenario

It is learnt that a majority view in the Central Committee was that the party should decide on coalition tactics on the basis of the post-poll political situation, with keeping communal forces at bay being the topmost priority.

The three-day session of the CPI(M) body comes in the wake of recent meetings General Secretary Prakash Karat had with leaders of DMK, TDP, Samajwadi Party and the NCP.

Replying to questions regarding the third front, Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said his party was looking at a “third alternative”, which would emerge out of joint struggles and campaigns on common issues, and not preparing for a ‘Third Front’ only for electoral purposes.

On the Indo-US nuclear deal, Yechury has earlier made it clear that Left has not set any deadline for the UPA government and would wait for its views after the negotiations at the IAEA at the next meeting of the UPA-Left Committee.

Admitting that Left and the Congress held divergent views on the issue, he said in Shimla recently that while the government was under US pressure, the Left and the CPI(M) felt the deal was not in national interests and should be stopped at all costs.

The major Left party has blamed the Congress-led government for “capitulating” under American pressure on various counts even before the nuclear deal has been finalised.

Opposing the operationalisation of the deal, it has also said that since a “big majority” of Parliament was opposed to it, the government would be showing disrespect to the House if it went ahead.

The draft political resolution, which includes matters ranging from the Indo-US nuclear deal and US role in Iraq, Iran and India’s neighbourhood to economic issues within the country, would be debated by the entire party membership across the country after it is vetted by the Central Committee.

The CPI(M) has also been critical of the government on its role in combating communalism on issues like “non-implementation” of Sachar Committee recommendations to uplift Muslims, delaying the Communal Violence Bill and extending the tenure of the Liberhan Commission probing the demolition of Babri Masjid.

The issue of Special Economic Zones in the context of the Nandigram episode, price rise, public distribution system, legislations on women’s reservation, social security for unorganised and farm labourers and the CPI(M)’s stand on them are some of the issues which are likely to find place in the draft political resolution.