CPI(M) debates on cooperating with non-Left parties against

The CPI(M) politburo today debated the framing of a draft political resolution on whether it should seek the cooperation of all non-Left parties, including the Congress, to fight the "communal politics of the BJP", party sources said.
The major Left party, which has witnessed a "sharp decline" in its electoral strength since 2005, would chalk out the resolution in a two-day meet here keeping in mind the priority of defeating the RSS-BJP combine, they added.
Party general secretary Sitaram Yechury and his predecessor Prakash Karat have presented separate notes suggesting the approach the party should follow in the coming years, the sources said.

In a note to the politburo, Yechury is understood to have said that "while there should be no electoral understanding with the Congress, the party should seek the cooperation of all non-Left parties to oust the Modi government".
Yechury suggested that the clause on "not having any political understanding with the Congress" be removed from the draft to pave a way for consolidation of secular forces against the RSS-BJP, a senior party leader said.
Sources said, Karat in his note emphasised that the BJP is the chief opponent in the present political situation and the CPI(M)'s priority should be to defeat the communal forces, but there should not be any political understanding with the Congress.

Karat was of the opinion that the party should take a tactical line in electoral politics, the sources added.

Though both the notes had the similar objective of prioritising political activities to defeat the RSS-BJP, the difference was in the party's approach in consolidating anti- BJP forces, including the Congress.
"Our discussions have started. There is a consensus on the party's priority to defeat the BJP. The difference is only on how to consolidate anti-BJP votes," a senior politburo member said.
If the politburo fails to find a solution regarding the differences, then it would have to place both the notes in its Central Committee meet scheduled in January 2018.

The draft resolution, once finalised by the Central Committee, would be circulated among party members who might move amendments.
All amendments and views expressed by them would be debated and finalised at the CPI(M)'s party congress in April next year. This would determine the party's political tactic for the next three years.