Comrades up in arms

In neighbouring West Bengal, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is said to be facing unprecedented internal conflict as members are challenging the party's stand on its alliance with the Congress before the Assembly elections in the state earlier this year.

"The central leadership has always neglected the sentiments of the party's Bengal leadership - be it the historic blunder of not allowing Jyoti Basu to become prime minister or the expulsion of Somnath Chatterjee," said a party member after a state committee meeting in Kolkata earlier this week, which was attended by CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and senior state committee members.