CPI-M political resolution rules out alliance with Congress, agrees for 'understanding'

Hyderabad, April 20 (IANS) The 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Friday ruled out an alliance with the Congress party but nevertheless agreed to an "understanding" with it and other "secular opposition parties" inside and outside Parliament.

"As far as the political line is concerned, any political alliance with the Congress is ruled out. Such an alliance with the major party of the Indian ruling classes will weaken our struggle against building the unity of the people for a policy alternative to the ruling classes. It is on the basis of this line that future electoral tactics will be decided," the resolution said.

"As far as the word understanding is concerned, we have defined the scope of that understanding with the Congress party. Within Parliament, we have understanding with secular opposition parties including the Congress on agreed issues. We take forward the Vishakapatnam Party Congress resolution that we need a broad mobilization of all democratic and secular forces against communalism," it added.

The resolution is likely to put to rest the tug-of-war between two camps within the CPI-M regarding an alliance with the Congress party. 

The issue was settled after the CPI-M Congress approved an amendment moved by the Steering Committee with an overwhelming endorsement from the delegates. 

Summing up the discussion on the political resolution, senior leader Prakash Karat noted that it was "unprecedented" that two views were put before the party Congress. 

"The Central Committee had decided that since this is a political issue. it should be decided in the highest body of the party, that is, the Party Congress. That is why Comrade Sitaram Yechury placed the Central Committee minority point of view.

"It is not a question of the words 'understanding' and 'alliance'. It is the approach of how best to fight the BJP-RSS and ensure their defeat. A large number of comrades asked the leadership to resolve the issue so as to go back from this Congress with the message of unity," he added.

CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury in his intervention gave a call for unity in the party. 

"We are all agreed that our main fight is against the BJP-RSS and to defeat this government. After this Party Congress, we go back in a unified manner take this fight throughout the country to mobilize the vast mass of our people on the guidance of the political resolution," he said.

Yechury said that he was "proud" as CPI-M is the "only party in India today which can undertake such a democratic exercise to decide its future direction". 

During the deliberations, delegates moved around 373 amendments, out of which 37 were accepted.

One of the amendments did away with the word "understanding" from a clause that earlier read: "However, this has to be done without having an understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress party", with the amended clause being "But this has to be done without having a political alliance with the Congress party."

Also, a clause was added that said: "However, there can be an understanding with all secular opposition parties including the Congress in Parliament on agreed issues. Outside Parliament, we should cooperate with all secular opposition forces for a broad mobilization of people against communalism. 

"We should foster joint actions of class and mass organisations, in such a manner that can draw in the masses following the Congress and other bourgeois parties."