CPM to take strident anti-Cong line in Vijayawada

NEW DELHI: In Vijayawada, whispers of a Karat-Buddhadeb battle may just fade out, with CPM likely to throw its weight behind the general secretary.

CPM’s extended central committee (CC) meet, which is expected to fine-tune the party’s political strategy in the light of the changed political scenario, begins on Saturday. Amid speculation of sharp differences within the party over the political tactic, the conclave will give its sanction to the “equidistant from Congress and BJP” line.

Mr Prakash Karat, who has been consistent in his anti-Congress approach ever since the Left withdrew support to UPA-I in 2008, has made it clear that cosying up to Congress was out of the question in the present political scenario. The argument that the Left should co-ordinate with Congress to keep BJP out was no longer relevant, according to him.

The four-day extended CC meet is likely to demonstrate that he has the party’s backing in adopting this strategy. Party leaders have been denying that there are reservations within CPM on taking a tough anti-Congress stand.

However, the West Bengal CPM is keen to wean Congress away from Trinamool Congress, which is giving it sleepless nights. Worries have now mounted for the Left Front with the Maoists openly backing Mamata Banerjee’s party.

The extended CC will also come out with resolutions on West Bengal and Kerala, which are heading for assembly elections next year. The meeting will be attended by over 350 delegates, including 85 of the central committee members and 275 state secretariat members. A party Congress is attended by over 700 delegates.

In the political resolution to be adopted at the meeting, CPM will pledge to fight Congress and the Manmohan Singh government’s economic and foreign policies. When the last political resolution was adopted in Coimbatore, the Left was extending outside support to the UPA regime. Though the party had criticised UPA’s policies in its 19th Congress resolution, it had maintained a two-pronged approach of attacking the government while supporting it.

The document, which will spell out the party’s strategy on relations with non-Congress, non-BJP parties, is expected to propose issue-based alliances with them while taking a cautious approach towards formation of an alternative front. Mr Karat’s third front initiative ahead of the 2009 Lok Sabha elections had failed miserably.

With CPM facing a series of electoral debacles in its strongholds, there is increased realisation within the party that it should strive harder to expand in other parts of the country. Despite efforts, CPM has failed to make inroads into the Hindi belt. The party had also identified some priority states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

This time, CPM has decided to webcast events at the central committee, including the inaugural session and public meetings.