The political resolution now says ‘no political alliance’, keeping possibilities open for an electoral understanding with the Congress.
Hyderabad: Ending months of high drama within the Communist Party of India (Marxist) surrounding the adoption of its political-tactical line, the party Friday accommodated general secretary Sitaram Yechury’s line of keeping the door open for an understanding with the Congress.
The political resolution had become hugely contentious with a sharp divide between Yechury and his predecessor Prakash Karat, with the latter ruling out any understanding with the Congress whatsoever. In the central committee meeting held in January, Yechury’s line was defeated by 31 votes to 55, with the committee adopting the draft resolution backed by Karat.
But on the third day of its ongoing Party Congress – the highest decision making body – in Hyderabad, the CPI(M) dropped the contentious line in the political resolution which said there would be “no understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress”. Instead, it added a line which said “no political alliance with the Congress”. This keeps the possibility of an electoral understanding with the Congress open.
This is being seen as a major victory for Yechury, who despite numbers in the central committee and politburo stacked against him, eventually managed to push his line through in the Party Congress. If his line had been defeated, his position as general secretary would have become untenable.
“There can be an understanding with all secular opposition parties including the Congress in Parliament on agreed issues. Outside Parliament, we should cooperate with all secular opposition forces for a broad mobilisation of people against communalism. We should foster joint actions of class and mass organisations in such a manner that can draw in the masses following the Congress and other bourgeoise parties,” the latest version of the document said.
The demand for a secret ballot
Sources in the party said a major demand for voting on the resolution through a secret ballot, unprecedented for the CPI(M), triggered this adjustment. According to sources, delegates from as many as 14 states demanded a secret ballot, many making written submissions to this effect. While Karat and some other members of the politburo were absolutely against secret voting, Yechury was backing it.
Earlier in the day, Karat had clearly stated there was “no practice of voting on the resolution through a secret ballot”, thus ruling it out.
“In our party there is always a majority and minority view. In all our political discussions, it is a normal thing to have divergent views. It is not a new thing,” Karat had said.
Moreover, while the Kerala unit of the party was publicly backing Karat’s line, there was a fear in his faction that in case of a secret ballot, a section of this unit would also vote for Yechury’s line. Several delegates from Kerala were said to have been impressed by Yechury’s speech Thursday.
Sources said former Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan led the talks Friday afternoon to bridge the gap, and emphasised that it was the organisation that was important and should be kept at the forefront, instead of internal divisions.
The support in the Party Congress for Yechury was also a result of intensive groundwork by him, including holding back-channel talks with other members.
The rift in the party
The last few tense months of an almost-public rift in the CPI(M) came at a time when it is at its lowest point, with just nine seats in the Lok Sabha and holding power in only one state.
In fact, the party’s own draft political-organisational report, also being discussed in this Party Congress, underlined the rift in the party and said it affected “cohesion” among politburo members.
“Differences arose on the political line adopted regarding the Congress and its implementation amongst the politburo members, including the general secretary, at the centre. This adversely affected cohesion among the politburo members at the centre. This affected political and organisational interventions which were required to meet the developing situation,” the report read.
“There is a need to improve the level of cohesion amongst the PBMs (politburo members) at the centre. Mutual confidence among the PBMs should be developed. For this, when issues crop up, they should be discussed immediately and clinched and not allowed to linger.”