Karat’s alternative has to make provisions for cannibalism

NEW DELHI: Mayawati���s BSP has turned out to be a double-edged sword for the architects of the third alternative. Besides the Congress and BJP, BSP has hurt the Left, which recently cosied up to it. The CPM has just realised that BSP played spoiler in Madhya Pradesh, where the Marxist party lost its sole sitting seat.

The BSP had put up a candidate in Sirmaur in Reva district, which the CPM���s Ram Lakhan Sharma had won in the past two elections. The seat has gone to the Congress this time.

But the irony is that BSP���s limited success in the assembly elections in Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh is being seen by the Left as a verdict for an alternative to the BJP and Congress.

The Left had failed to reach any understanding with Mayawati���s party ahead of the elections even though it had pledged support for BSP candidates in seats where the Left was not contesting. While the Left sees the BSP as a potential ally in formation of an electoral alternative to the Congress and BJP, Ms Mayawati has not given any signal that she was prepared for a pre-poll understanding.

The Left does not forsee any understanding with the BSP for the Lok Sabha elections, which means the Madhya Pradesh experience could be repeated in several other constituencies. However, Left parties are pinning their hopes on a post-poll understanding.

While in Madhya Pradesh the CPM drew a blank, the party improved its score from one to a record three in Rajasthan and marginally increased its vote share. The party���s majestic red building in the pink city had reason to celebrate as this is the first time in recent elections that efforts to make inroads into the Hindi belt have paid off. The Marxist party had been in the forefront of farmers��� agitation for water and power in Sriganganagar and Sikar.

CPM, which won Danta Ramgarh, Dhod and Anupgarh, had fielded its biggest list of 32 candidates this time. The CPM had only an MLA, representing Dhod, over the past three terms. CPI drew a blank in all the states. In the past, CPM had held Sangaria and Hanumangarh segments of Sriganganagar.