Muslim India

 

 

NEW DELHI: In a significant post-poll confession, CPM on Tuesday admitted its Third Front foray was a mistake, "not seen by the people as a credible and viable alternative at the national level". 

In its first reaction after the day long-introspection by the party's politburo, CPM also admitted that Congress gained due to NREGA, Forest Rights Act, and other social welfare measures pushed through "Left pressure". 

Further, the party said Congress got more support amongst the "minorities and sections of secular-minded people" who were keen to ensure that BJP does not come back, in what was seen as indicating the failure of its calculation that its strong opposition to the nuclear deal would endear it to Muslims. 

But the central leadership refused to take all the blame, disputing the growing suggestion in the party strongholds of West Bengal and Kerala that the central leadership's hardline opposition to the Congress government resulting in its pull out caused the debacle. "Both national and state specific factors are responsible for the poor performance," said the party in a diagnosis that can potentially create conflict between state units and the central leadership. 

The candour that the third front turned out to what is being derisively referred to as "thud front" post-poll was a fiasco is significant. For, it was CPM general secretary Prakash Karat who was seen behind the initiative to assemble disparate partners, including those like BSP which it had opposed in the past, in an ambitious bid to position the motley combine as a "secular challenger" to Congress. 

Some party leaders, however, refused to blame Karat alone for the blunder. "It was the unanimous decision of the party's central committee. How can the blame be put on one leader?" The party statement also said the non-Congress, non-BJP alliance was required so that a "credible secular alternative emerged". 

The inquest by the politburo did not extend to the state-specific factors that led to the party's debacle. The exercise which is expected to generate considerable tension will be done after "self-critical" review by the state committees and the central committee "which should form the basis for corrective steps". 

However, the staggering defeat seems to have already jolted the party into taking decisions it had avoided all this long and revisiting some of those it took. Heads are expected to start rolling, at least in Kerala, by next month-end. There are also indications that the party may have to relent on its stand defending Kerala state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan who is embroiled in the Lavlin payoff case. 

In its zeal to defend Vijayan, the party leadership brushed aside the findings of CAG -- something it always held sacrosanct when it came to leaders of other parties -- indicting the powerful state secretary. In fact, with his reputation as a great organisational man in tatters, the central leadership may show its favourite Marxist from Kerala the door. Vijayan had painted a rosy picture of the party's prospects saying that Left would win 16 seats. 

Chief minister VS Achutanandan is also unlikely to be spared. His open defiance of the party sent a wrong signal. Even on the day of the result, he refused to admit it was a reflection on bad performance of the state government. A day later, the Kerala government even went to the extent of advertising the state government's achievements. 

In West Bengal, heads might not roll but the party will stress on greater coordination among Left Front partners, a fresh look at key policy areas, strengthening of the party's political arm and establishing supremacy of the party over the government.