Differences on stand towards Congress dominate CPI-M meet

Hyderabad : Differences over the issue of electoral understanding with the Congress dominated the proceedings of the national conclave of the Communist Party of India-(Marxist on Thursday as it began discussion on the draft political resolution.

The 22nd party Congress of the CPI-M on the second day took up discussion on two divergent viewpoints.

The draft political resolution, which was cleared by the party's Central Committee in January and which ruled out alliance with Congress, was moved by senior leader Prakash Karat, while General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, who is in favour of electoral understanding with the Congress, moved the minority view, which was earlier rejected by the Central Committee.

Yechury told reporters that the Central Committee decided to discuss both the viewpoints in view of the large number of amendments received from members.

"Since there was a difference of opinion on tactical line, the Central Committee felt that both the opinions should be discussed at the Party Congress and come to a collective decision. Once the decision is arrived at after deliberations, it will be the unified policy decision of the party," he said.

In a departure from the established procedure, Karat, who is opposed to any electoral understanding with Congress, moved the political resolution.

Normally, the party General Secretary presents the draft political resolution at the Congress, the highest decision making forum.

Denying any differences, Yechury said this was not the first time that the incumbent General Secretary has not moved the political resolution.

"Wait. The discussions have just started. Our party has a vibrant inner democracy and will take decisions collectively after discussion and debate," Yechury said when asked what would be his next move if the minority view is rejected.

He said the discussion will continue till Friday afternoon and only after that on the basis of discussions, the future agenda will be taken up.

Yechury termed as speculations media reports about the differences in the party. "The question of electoral alliance or any electoral front with the Congress was never been a point of dispute in the party," he said.

He claimed that there is no dispute on the priority which is to defeat the BJP government. "There are different views on how to defeat it and we are democratically discussing," he said.

Recalling that it was CPI-M which invented the word "outside support", Yechury said the party was not part of United Front in 1996 or UPA in 2004.

Asked how he proposes to achieve the goal of defeating BJP, he said CPI-M would ask people to vote for the party and the other Left parties and in constituencies where they are not present defeat the BJP.

The Marxist leader said the tactical line should be based on alternative policy direction through unity of the Left and democratic forces.