Amid a clear rift in the party over the issue of alliance with the other parties, the 22nd Congress of CPI(M) took up the discussion on the draft political resolution on the second day on Thursday.
While the draft resolution was introduced by the senior party leader and former general secretary Prakash Karat on behalf of the central committee , the present general secretary Sitaram Yechuri moved the minority point of view.
Delegates from as many as 13 States took part in the discussions on Thursday.
Sitaram Yechuri addressing the delegates said there was a divergent opinion in the central committee on the political line to be pursued, which will be discussed in the party Congress on Friday.
“One draft was presented by Karat and the alternative proposal was presented by me”, he said. He indicated that there might not be an electoral understanding with any political party specially with the Congress. He also pointed out that the draft as prepared three months ago.
He pointed out that the CPI(M) never had a tie up with any ruling party. “Even in case of National Front the party had extended outside support”, he said. He said that there were no differences on the joining of any alliance or Front. “Joining any Front is an irrelevant issue. There is a complete unanimity on the need for unseating the BJP from power. But how to do it will be discussed by the party”, he said.
Yechuri said that if the left democratic forces had to be strengthened, the first the CPI(M) should be strengthened.
Briefing the media Yechuri later said that the discussion on various amendments to the draft will be held till Friday afternoon after which the final resolution will be adopted.
The prime objective of the party was to free the people from the clutches of RSS controlled BJP, he said. Yechuri denied the reports in a section of press about the differences in the party regarding the alliance with other parties. “These are all figment of their imagination”, he said.
What has emerged as the key bone of contention between the two groups — the hawks led by Prakash Karat and backed by Kerala and Triupra leaders and the doves led by Yechuri and mainly backed by the West Bengal unit — was the question whether the CPI(M) should join the hands with the other secular parties including the Congress party.
While Karat group which describes Congress as bourgeois party has ruled out any such understanding with it, Yechuri group was in favor of in such an understanding to unseat the BJP from power.
The fight has become more keen as the CPIM congress was also scheduled to elect the party general secretary. While the majority appears to be in favor of giving another term to the present general secretary Yechuri, the Karat group was exploring the possibility of anointing Manik Sarkar, the former Chief Minister of Tripura.
Earlier the congress of CPI(M) termed the Supreme Court judgment rejecting the pleas for an independent probe into the death of Justice loya and holding such petitions as scandalous as “unfortunate”.
“The circumstances of Justice loya’s death raised several questions. The CPI(M) holds that the matter should be reviewed by a larger bench of the court”, a statement issued by the CPI(M) congress said.
In another resolution the CPI(M) congress expressed profound shock at the acquittal by the NIA special court of all those arrested in connection with the Mecca Masjid bomb blast case.
It expressed deep concern that central agencies responsible for investigation and prosecution of crimes are increasingly biased in favor of Hindutva forces.
“There is a pattern in acquittals of accused owning allegiance to the Sangh Parivar in various cases of terrorism and bomb blasts”, the resolution said.