No Takers For CPM's Official Line On Not Sending Rep To INDIA Bloc Panel

The CPI(M)'s decision was clearly prompted by its disinclination to share the dais with Trinamool Congress' national General Secretary Abhishek Baneree, against whom the party is holding regular protest demonstrations in West Bengal over the various financial scams in the state.

However, the party leadership has camouflaged that actual reason with the argument that "organisational structures" are not necessary to take the process of Opposition unity forward.

Political observers feel that through this decision of not sending any representative to the coordination committee, the CPI(M) leadership has also given a subtle message to Congress' central leadership.

“The message is loud and clear, which is whether the Congress will continue with its trust on the proven friendship and backing of Indian Communists since the days of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on issues like bank and coal-mine nationalisation, or will it shift its focus to a party which was formed in West Bengal in January 1998 by breaking away from the Congress,” said a city-based political analyst.

A senior central committee member of the CPI(M), on condition of anonymity, said that the party leadership is eagerly waiting to see how the central leadership of the Congress reacts to the decision of CPI(M) to not send any representative to the INDIA bloc coordination committee.

“Congress' reaction will give us an indication as to how much long-rope they will allow Trinamool Congress in the INDIA bloc. Now what will be their final stand on this issue is entirely the decision of Congress' central leadership and we really do not have any business in influencing that.

“But at the same time, it is expected that the central leadership of the country's oldest national party should do some introspection of the fact that Trinamool Congress is continuing with its attempts to weaken the Congress, not just in West Bengal but also in states like Meghalaya,” he said.

In fact, a large section of the Congress leadership in West Bengal, especially the one represented by state unit chief and five-time party Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Calcutta High Court advocate Kaustav Bagchi, is tirelessly opposing any attempt by the party's central leadership to give a long rope to the Trinamool Congress.

Both have urged the central leadership to refrain from backing those involved in corruption.

Political observers believe that for both CPI(M) as well as for the state leadership of the Congress, the survival option is hard-core opposition to Trinamool Congress.

“Whatever support base both the CPI(M) and the Congress continue to have in West Bengal among their dedicated voters is because these loyalist voters are anti-Trinamool, rather than being anti-BJP.

“So, in the event of any understanding with the Trinamool, covert or overt, the basic thought of these voters that have kept them loyal to Congress or CPI(M) will get a blow.

“In such a situation, there is a possibility that one section of these loyalist voters might shift to BJP, while the more dyed-in-the wool section, who are also against the BJP, will either refrain from going to the polling stations on the polling day or press the NOTA button,” said a senior political observer.

Meanwhile, CPI(M)'s decision to not send any representative to the INDIA bloc's coordination committee has created some inconvenience for it as a constituent of the Left Front.

While the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) has backed the decision of CPI(M), the CPI has opposed it on grounds that while any understanding with the Trinamool is out of question, that issue cannot be equated with that of having a representative in the INDIA bloc coordination committee.

The CPI leadership has claimed that state-specific and national issues cannot be viewed in the same parlance.

--IANS

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