CPM asks state units to look for allies

The CPM on Sunday asked its state units to immediately call meetings with Left parties to take a “unified” position in the upcoming Assembly elections and decide on the possible allies.

Though not a big player in the poll-bound states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, the CPM and Left parties are keen to contest a handful of seats and improve their footprint in the country.

At the three-day meeting of CPM central committee, the first after the party congress in Hyderabad that set the tone for understanding with all Opposition parties, including the Congress, the leadership analysed the political situation and the strategy to counter the BJP.

According to a statement issued after the meeting, the Central Committee finalised the roadmap for the implementation of the tasks before the party as decided by the 22nd Party Congress. It also decided on the division of responsibilities amongst Polit Bureau and central committee members.

While there are no big ticket changes, senior polit bureau member will be in charge of Bihar while new entrant in PB Nilotpal Basu will look after the students' and youth wings, sources said.

Discussing the political situation in the country, the statement referred to Kashmir and said the imposition of Governor's rule has raised "widespread apprehension" that the RSS-BJP will embark on a "more hardline position" under the pretext of combating terrorism and sharpening of communal polarisation to consolidate Hindutva votes ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

It also discussed the Karnataka election results as well as other verdicts. On the Karnataka polls, it said, "The BJP-RSS' attempts to cobble a majority through horse-trading were thwarted and a JD(S)-Congress government has assumed office. In the light of the obnoxious role played by the Governor in this as well in other instances over the last four years, the demand for abolition of this office needs to be reiterated."