Trouble in own backyard, CPM won’t rock UPA boat
With intra-Left Front feud peaking in West Bengal the CPM has no stomach or stamina for political adventurism.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: With intra-Left Front feud peaking in West Bengal and the government controlled by it virtually paralysed in Kerala, the CPM has no stomach or stamina for political adventurism. Although it acknowledges that continuation in the UPA entails a huge political cost, the CPM is yet not ready to back the CPI���s demand for snapping ties with the Congress.
However, the CPM may take a fresh look at its relations with the UPA after the results of the Karnataka and West Bengal elections if it finds the Congress suffering a setback.
The CPM, the only Left party which has refrained from declaring that the Left should withdraw support to the UPA, will first examine its own backyard to see if it was prepared to face elections before taking any decision.
Fissures within the Left Front are in the open with the RSP ministers accusing the CPM of ���murdering democracy��� in West Bengal. The CPM also does not agree with the CPI���s strategy that the Left could withdraw support if the government went ahead with the nuclear deal but not pull it down, and views it as a ���half-hearted approach���.
General secretaries of the CPM and CPI ��� Prakash Karat and A B Bardhan ��� met on Wednesday at the AKG Bhavan and discussed the issue, which is likely to come up at the Left meeting on May 23.
With the UPA completing four years of governance on May 22 and the UPA-Left panel on the nuclear deal meeting on May 28, the CPM central committee is likely to review the government���s performance at its two day meeting beginning on May 29.
The CPM is expected to favour sending a strong message to the UPA that the Left was losing patience with the government���s approach towards issues like price rise.
There is also a thinking within the Left that withdrawal of support on a popular issue would help it politically in the fight against the Congress in the Left strongholds.
Ironically, it was the CPI which had favoured joining the UPA government when it was formed while the CPM decided on lending outside support. In the Andhra Pradesh by-elections, the CPM has aligned with the TDP, the Congress��� chief rival, while the CPI has decided to go it alone.
However, the CPM may take a fresh look at its relations with the UPA after the results of the Karnataka and West Bengal elections if it finds the Congress suffering a setback.
The CPM, the only Left party which has refrained from declaring that the Left should withdraw support to the UPA, will first examine its own backyard to see if it was prepared to face elections before taking any decision.
Fissures within the Left Front are in the open with the RSP ministers accusing the CPM of ���murdering democracy��� in West Bengal. The CPM also does not agree with the CPI���s strategy that the Left could withdraw support if the government went ahead with the nuclear deal but not pull it down, and views it as a ���half-hearted approach���.
General secretaries of the CPM and CPI ��� Prakash Karat and A B Bardhan ��� met on Wednesday at the AKG Bhavan and discussed the issue, which is likely to come up at the Left meeting on May 23.
With the UPA completing four years of governance on May 22 and the UPA-Left panel on the nuclear deal meeting on May 28, the CPM central committee is likely to review the government���s performance at its two day meeting beginning on May 29.
ADVERTISEMENT
The CPM is expected to favour sending a strong message to the UPA that the Left was losing patience with the government���s approach towards issues like price rise.
There is also a thinking within the Left that withdrawal of support on a popular issue would help it politically in the fight against the Congress in the Left strongholds.
Ironically, it was the CPI which had favoured joining the UPA government when it was formed while the CPM decided on lending outside support. In the Andhra Pradesh by-elections, the CPM has aligned with the TDP, the Congress��� chief rival, while the CPI has decided to go it alone.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
