CPI(M) meets to discuss poll debacle

The CPI(M)began its crucial politburo meeting to discuss the reasons behind one of its worst electoral performances and its fallout amid reports that West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has offered to quit on Monday.  

However, politburo member and Left Front chairman Biman Bose described the reports on Bhattacharjee as "rubbish" before going for the meeting.  

"Bhattacharjee is not attending the meeting as he has informed the party that he cannot leave Kolkata due to the prevailing post-poll law and order situation," party sources said.  

Besides Bose, those attending the meeting are CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, Nirupam Sen, Pinarayi Vijayan, M K Pandhe, S R Pillai and Chief Ministers of Kerala and Tripura, V S Achuthanandan and Manik Sarkar respectively.

The sources said the politburo would do "serious introspection" of the causes of their poll debacle, especially in their bastions of West Bengal and Kerala which face assembly elections in another two years.  

The factors responsible for the massive rout are likely to come up for discussion in the CPI(M) body, the most important among them being the "failure" of the party's political organisation in the two states, party sources said.  The other issues could range from land acquisition for industries, corruption and infighting to national issues like forging of alliance with parties which do not matter much in the two states, they said.  

The total tally of the four Left parties in Parliament has plummeted from 61 in 2004 to 24 this time round, with CPI(M) alone tumbling down from 43 seats in the 14th Lok Sabha to 16 now.