Cracks in the Left

In the initial plan for the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), the Left parties would not have found a place as their individual numbers are not enough to secure a seat. At least two Left leaders have started trying to impress upon the government that without their representation, the JPC would be incomplete. They have also cited the fact that the four Left parties in Parliament — CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc — act as a “Left bloc” and so their total strength of 34 MPs should be accounted for as a single entity. When the Left parties were assured that at least one MP would be accommodated, it led to further infighting: the CPI wants another slot to accommodate its nominee as it thinks a single seat for the Left in the JPC would invariably be bagged by the CPI(M).