CPM top body will take call on party tieups

New Delhi: It would be the central committee which would discuss the CPI(M)’s electoral strategy on alliances with other political parties, including the Congress, in the run up to the 2019 general elections. Desperate to remain relevant in the national political scenario, the party is in the process of reviewing and debating its electoral strategy with the Bengal faction, led by Sitaram Yechury, in favour of an alliance with other parties (read the Congress) and the Kerala faction, led by Prakash Karat opposed to it.

A draft political resolution, which will set the tactical-political line to be followed by the CPI(M), was discussed threadbare at the party politburo meeting here on Monday and now will be further debated at the Central Committee meeting beginning October 14, CPI(M) sources said.

The 16-member PB, which met here on Monday, is dominated by the Kerala faction and understandably there were more people who rejected the argument of aligning with the Congress.

The political resolution, which would be finalised by the end of January, would be adopted at the 22nd party Congress which would be held in April next year.

Debates have been raging within the party over electoral alliance with the Congress following the drubbing in the 2016 West Bengal Assembly polls. The architect of the CPI(M)-Congress deal, Mr Yechury was recently blocked by the party’s Central Committee and the politburo from getting a third term in Rajya Sabha.

The thread of the argument at Monday’s PB meeting was that aligning with the Congress had cost the party dear and led to its decline across the country.

The forthcoming party Congress which would be held in April, will also take a call on whether Mr Yechury would get a second term as party general secretary. The Kerala faction of the party led by chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan and former party boss, Mr Karat are reportedly against giving Mr Yechury a second run, sources said. However, the Bengal faction of the party seemed to be in favour of Mr Yechury.

In case Mr Yechury fails to get a second term as the party general secretary, the two possible names which are doing the rounds are Brinda Karat and B V Raghavulu. Though veteran party leader S Ramachandran Pillai is also a contender, his turning 80 years next year is said to be coming in the way.

It may recalled that the political-tactical line adopted by the CPI(M) at the previous Party Congress, held in 2015 was against joining forces with the Congress. The party decided to main an equidistance from both Congress and BJP. Despite the resolution the CPI(M) had an electoral understanding with it in the 2016 West Bengal assembly election. The CPI(M)-led Left Front, however, faced a drubbing in the polls and was relegated to third position, behind the ruling TMC and the Congress in its erstwhile bastion.