With the politburo meeting slated for next week, the recent flip-flop of CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat has not merely blurred the party line but left the party functionaries completely confused. While on one hand Mr Karat is talking of an anti-communal platform consisting of democratic and secular forces, on the other he claimed that the Congress will not be part of secular forces.
With the politburo meeting slated for next week, the recent flip-flop of CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat has not merely blurred the party line but left the party functionaries completely confused. While on one hand Mr Karat is talking of an anti-communal platform consisting of democratic and secular forces, on the other he claimed that the Congress will not be part of secular forces. The two-day politburo meet, which starts on Sunday, is expected to discuss the party line as the functionaries and leaders seemed to be completely confused. The party general secretary a few weeks back went on record terming the Congress as a “secular party” and felt that there was a need for a “broad national unity of secular and democratic parties against the threat of communalism”. The Congress had also sent a signal by saying the Left parties “always stood against the communal forces”. The party functionary viewed the statements as the CPI(M)’s “conciliatory approach” towards the Congress, a party functionary said. The Left parties, particularly the CPI(M), “which is becoming politically redundant, needed the support of a national party like the Congress to bounce back to the centrestage,” the functionary said. The political line became absolutely blurred after Mr Karat changed tack in only 24 hours. Speaking to the media he said, “The secular alliance being put together will consist of both political parties and non-political organisations. Congress has not been approached. It will not be part of it.” At the extended CC meet held in August the party had stated, “The central committee decided that a political campaign against the communal forces and exposing the designs of the BJP-RSS should be conducted. There is a need for an anti-communal platform consisting of the democratic and secular forces.” Also Mr Karat’s stand on third front also “remains unclear”, some functionaries said. His effort to cobble up a non-Congress and non-BJP front seemed be falling through. It was learnt that despite repeated meetings with the Samajwadi Party, the outfit “does not seem keen to walk out of the UPA”, a CPI(M) leader said. Similarly, the TDP has also began to lean towards the NDA. The CPI(M), which has been completely marginalised at the national level, is desperately seeking some support to make its presence felt, sources said.
