The third alternative

The CPIM is seriously optimistic about itself being able to provide the third alternative along with its Left partners and not look for opportunistic alliances. The party knows that such a dream would not be taken seriously and is therefore not specifying it at the moment.

On the eve of the conference two days ago, senior Politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters that a number of amendments had been moved on the politcial wisdom of entering into meaningless poll alliances which yield little in the end.

Even today, another Politburo member Prakash Karat said there were questions on past alignments with various parties like RJD, AGP, Telegu Desam or even the DMK. The CPIM has not gained much in any of these states where they brokered such political deals. Karat said the party was not looking forward to entering into any understanding for immediate political gains.

In a statement given out on the nature of the deliberations, the party said: 8216;8216;Some comrades felt that more critical analysis should be conducted of our united front tactics, especially in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.8217;8217;

To a question on whether the Samajwadi Party would be included, the response was a bit vague, 8216;8216;could be8217;8217;. But Karat sounded buoyant when he insisted that the 8216;8216;Third Alternative8217;8217; would be not just on paper but quite ready to do electoral battle when the next party congress comes about in 2008.

It is more than apparent that the CPIM believes it will grow along with its other Left partners by 2008 to provide a viable 8216;8216;Third Alternative8217;8217;. Or it could well be an illusion, a mirage that has been carefully constructed for its disillusioned cadres.