A dash of red for IIM resumes, and how

NEW DELHI: Those IIM graduates who will opt for an internship with the CPM, may not just be attempting to understand the ‘other’ viewpoint, but are also driven by the cool calculation of resume-padding. With some parts of the world continuing to flirt with left-of-centre economic models, such resumes could catch the attention of companies wanting to deal with huge markets, from China to Latin America.

The stint with AKG Bhawan in New Delhi will give IIM-A students an opportunity to understand the Stalinist mindset. It will also enable the interns to write papers on how to get past the red barricades and give a fair idea on how to bring the nay-sayers around.

When the students experiment with the Marxists, they are sure to come across unique and unknown business models. The CPM, one of the world’s largest Marxist parties, is not just into selling ideological wares, but runs a host of successful businesses in Kerala and West Bengal. In Kerala, it runs a TV channel, controls super-specialty hospitals and is in the process of putting up an amusement park.

CPM’s Kairali channel, with an over Rs 60-crore equity capital, is certain to interest the IIM students. Its capital, sourced through micro contributitions, many say, is one of its kind because of the cadre’s blind faith in the ‘Marxist bank’. The party raised share capital for the channel through a massive drive before its launch in August 2000. Even now, its finances come from party activists and sympathisers, who are yet to demand returns on their investments.

The amusement park of the party in a 25-acre plot in north Kerala, when completed, will have 14 water rides, 12 dry items, children’s play area, a 35-ft high artificial waterfall, open-air theatre and a music fountain, among other things.

The asset accumulation by the CPM, too, is without any parallel. The party as well as its frontal organisations have primeland assets in all the important regions of the state. Conservative estaimates put the asset value of the CPM at Rs 4,000 crore.

For the intern, the political reflexes of the CPM leadership may be much easier to decipher. The next stop for the IIM students could be the Congress headquarters. The students may come out with an answer here: The attraction for power is much stronger than commitment for reforms.

The alliance at the Centre with the Congress is not based on anti-BJPism. And economics is an area where the two sides just don’t meet. While it will be ready for compromises on a host of political issues, it will just not be ready to give up its opposition to critical parameters of the reforms agenda.

The Left’s response to the insurance bill, pension reform proposals and the banking rules amendment bill have shown that the party will not allow any big players to become owners and managers of these sectors.