Jyoti Basu'S Remark Stirs A Hornet'S Nest

West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu's remark that the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s decision not to join the United Front (UF) government was a historic blunder has created a controversy in the party, with several politburo members describing the statement as unfortunate.

In a statement yesterday, the politburo said that the issue of joining the UF government was settled after it was discussed at a meeting of the party's central committee in May last year.

The issue is closed, the politburo statement said.

In Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Chief Minister E K Nayanar said that the party should examine whether Basu should have openly aired his views once the matter was discussed and settled.

In an interview to the Calcutta edition of an English-language daily, Basu had described his party's decision against joining the UF government as a historic political blunder.

The West Bengal Chief Minister had told his interviewer that had his party joined the UF government, several policies could have been better implemented as the CPI (M) had the experience of running a government (West Bengal).

At the last year's meeting, the party central committee had opted not to take part in the UF government by a majority decision, considering the fragility of the 13-party coalition.

The committee also reiterated the party's stand that it would not join any government unless it had a dominant role in it.

At the time, Basu and party general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet had supported the move to join the government. They were supported by the party's West Bengal unit.

In his reaction, Nayanar is reported to have said: It is Basu's opinion. I need not comment on it.

The Kerala Chief Minister said that a majority of the party's central committee members were against joining the UF government.

That is why we chose to keep away, he added.

Does it not show that we are a democratic party ? But, it is a matter for our party to consider seriously whether Basu should have openly made his remark, Nayanar, who is also a central committee member, said.

Similar sentiments were expressed by politburo member L B Gangadhar Rao and central committee member Nanduri Prasad Rao in Visakhapatnam.

In a joint statement, they are reported to have said that Basu's remarks were wrong on two counts: The CPI (M) cannot be part of a government where it is in a hopeless minority and it cannot do so where it will not be able to implements its programmes.