Sitaram Yechury open to Congress tieup

Left Front chairman Biman Bose, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) politburo member Prakash Karat and other leaders during discussions at the politburo meeting in Kolkata on Saturday. — PTI

Describing the upcoming Bengal Assembly election as “a very important battle”, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday said the objective of the party plenum beginning Sunday with a rally at Brigade Parade Ground was to “streamline and strengthen” the party so that it could meet the challenges. Acknowledging that infusion of fresh blood was necessary for the party’s rejuvenation, he said that the issue would be discussed in the five-day plenun.

“This is a very important battle for us which will decide the future of the state as well as the issue of restoration of democracy, law and order and rule of law. We have begun preparations to face the challenges. How do we strengthen our organisation, what are the new methods that we have to employ and how do we reach out to the masses are the key issues which will be discussed in the plenum. In this situation, strengthening and streamlining our party organisation is of paramount importance,” Mr Yechury elaborated.

Responding to queries on the possibility of forging an alliance with Congress, Mr Yechury said, “Every patriotic, well-meaning, secular Indian should be meeting these challenges. In terms of electoral politics, this issue will be discussed after the plenum. If there are other forces that are willing to come forward and do the same thing then we welcome it.”

The CPI(M) general secretary admitted that “without the youth” the party did not have a future. “Attracting youth is an important issue and that will be discussed in the plenum. But age also has to merge with experience. In India, 70 per cent of the population is below 40. India has no future without youth. The CPI(M) also has no future without them,” he added.

Mr Yechury claimed that CPI(M) was the main target of the attacks of the ruling Trinamul Congress.

Claiming that the “communal onslaught” was the “biggest danger for the country”, the CPI(M) general secretary said that rabid communalism had mingled with neo-liberal economic reforms. “This Modi government is carrying forward the neo-liberal economic reforms more aggressively than the Manmohan Singh government and at the same time patronising the communal forces, which is spreading religious intolerance, rewriting history, influencing the teachings in education institutions and promoting an unscientific thinking. This is also big challenge,” he claimed.

Elaborating on the basic essence of the party resolution which will be taken up in the five-day plenum, Mr Yechury said, “We have to strengthen ourselves to move towards forging a unity with the democratic forces as an alternative to the current policies being persuaded by the ruling parties like the Congress and BJP.”