CPM decides to not ally with Congress at national level; state-level units to make their own decision
India Today
The CPM has decided not to have any kind of tie-up with the Indian National Congress. However, the CPM has allowed the state level units to make a decision on the regional level understanding necessary, based on the political situation in the state.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) has given much-needed clarity on the possibility of an alliance with the Congress party at the national level. Agreeing to the view of majority party members, the CPM has decided not to have any kind of tie-up with the Indian National Congress.
Meanwhile, the CPM has also allowed the state level units to make a decision on the regional level understanding necessary, based on the political situation in the state. The political resolution agreeing to the same was passed at the party congress in Kerala’s Kannur.
The Kerala CPM, in particular, has been opposing any kind of alliance with the Congress, while the Bengal unit has been taking a more lenient approach.
The party’s general secretary, Sitaram Yechury, had called for a secular alliance against the BJP in the inaugural speech. He also urged the Congress to make its stand clear on secularism. However, things took a turn when Yechury, on Thursday, lashed out at the Congress for refusing to allow its leaders to attend the CPM seminar.
The Indian National Congress had issued a firm directive to its leaders including Shashi Tharoor, Ramesh Chennithala and KV Thomas to not attend a seminar held as part of the party congress.
Later, the veteran congress leader KV Thomas had attended the seminar saying no to the party orders, causing a headache for the AICC.
While Sitaram Yechury’s and Prakash Karat’s factions had taken sides last time around as to whether or not there should be an alliance with the Congress at the national level, this time, save for a few delegates and some who refrained from voting, others were in favour.
