3rd front ‘leader’ to contest just 5/80 in 5 states
After failing miserably in polls,CPM reconciled to modest political goal.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: After failing miserably in election after election over the past three decades in the Hindi heartland, CPM has now reconciled to a modest political goal. It has decided to fight only one seat in Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
The decision was taken at the CPM central committee at its recent meeting in Kochi. The party was of the view that all efforts should be concentrated on contesting single seats in these states where the Left in the past years has lost whatever presence it had.
Even its clout at the Centre over the past four years as an ally of the UPA government has not helped the Left revive itself in the north. Not only has the Left base waned in the region, it is now ally-less in crucial states like Uttar Pradesh. In Bihar, political isolation forced the CPM and CPI to do what they had resisted so far ��� tie-up with the extreme Left, CPI-ML. While the CPM and CPI continued to suffer setbacks in the state, CPI-ML has been making its presence felt.
In Uttar Pradesh, where Left ally Samajwadi Party abandoned it to fill its place at the Centre, the Left has not managed to get any promises of even a post-poll alignment from BSP chief Mayawati.The Left���s profile is grim in other northern states, too. Barring Jharkhand, CPM and CPI have no Lok Sabha seats in the region.
In Madhya Pradesh, CPM has lost its sole assembly seat to the BSP in the recent elections. In Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat the Left has no representation even in the assembly. With CPM managing to win three assembly seats in Rajasthan during the recent polls, the party is hoping that its electoral success will have some reflection in the Lok Sabha elections.
The decision was taken at the CPM central committee at its recent meeting in Kochi. The party was of the view that all efforts should be concentrated on contesting single seats in these states where the Left in the past years has lost whatever presence it had.
Even its clout at the Centre over the past four years as an ally of the UPA government has not helped the Left revive itself in the north. Not only has the Left base waned in the region, it is now ally-less in crucial states like Uttar Pradesh. In Bihar, political isolation forced the CPM and CPI to do what they had resisted so far ��� tie-up with the extreme Left, CPI-ML. While the CPM and CPI continued to suffer setbacks in the state, CPI-ML has been making its presence felt.
In Uttar Pradesh, where Left ally Samajwadi Party abandoned it to fill its place at the Centre, the Left has not managed to get any promises of even a post-poll alignment from BSP chief Mayawati.The Left���s profile is grim in other northern states, too. Barring Jharkhand, CPM and CPI have no Lok Sabha seats in the region.
In Madhya Pradesh, CPM has lost its sole assembly seat to the BSP in the recent elections. In Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat the Left has no representation even in the assembly. With CPM managing to win three assembly seats in Rajasthan during the recent polls, the party is hoping that its electoral success will have some reflection in the Lok Sabha elections.
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