CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Monday that the party’s central committee was not in favour of an electoral alliance with the Congress during the West Bengal Assembly elections and th
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Monday that the party’s central committee was not in favour of an electoral alliance with the Congress during the West Bengal Assembly elections and the tie-up was an electoral tactic adopted by the left party’s Bengal unit.
Sources said the issue of electoral understanding with the Congress was discussed in detail at the central committee’s meeting which concluded in the capital on Monday with sharp differences emerging among its members.
Some of the committee members, sources said, were clearly not happy with the state unit’s decision to push for an alliance with the Congress. “The central committee concluded that the electoral tactics adopted in West Bengal was not in consonance with the committee’s decision not to have an alliance or understanding with the Congress,” Mr Yechury said following the conclusion of the three-day meeting.
Sharp differences emerged at the central committee’s meeting over the issue of electoral understanding with the Congress with most members claiming that the decision was not in accordance with the its political line. In fact, the party also expelled one of the committee members, Jagmati Sangwan, who had opposed the tie-up on charges of “gross indiscipline”.
However, Ms Sangwan claimed that she had announced in the meeting itself that she was quitting the party and all posts.
While reacting to her expulsion, she said, “I told the meeting it was a wrong decision to have the tie-up which was a violation of the party’s political-tactical line.”
Ms Sangwan had also led the All-India Democratic Women’s Association. This was the first meeting of the committee held after one of the worst defeats faced by the CPI(M) in West Bengal. The committee was of the opinion that the decision “should be rectified” and added that “the importance of adhering to the political-tactical line adopted at the 21st congress of the party”.
It also authorised the politburo “to ensure its implementation in consultation with the state leadership of the party”.
Meanwhile, Mr Yechury also demanded that the Prime Minister should convene an all-party meeting to discuss the contentious issue of the GST.
