CPI(M) frowns upon pre-poll tie-up with Cong

Days after suffering poll drubbing in West Bengal, CPI(M)'s top leadership is frowning upon its unit in the state, saying the electoral tactics were "not in consonance" with the party's "political tactical line" which prohibited any poll understanding or alliance with Congress.
"The politburo is of the opinion that the electoral tactics, those evolved in the state of West Bengal, are not in consonance with the Central Committee decisions and the political tactical line of the party, which said that there will be no electoral understanding or alliance with Congress party," party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said today.
He was speaking to reporters here after a two-day meeting of the politburo, the highest decision-making body, which reviewed the CPI(M)'s performance during the recently Assembly elections in West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry.

CPI(M), which along with three other Left parties, had ruled West Bengal for 34 years before being dislodged by Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 2011, performed miserably in the latest Assembly polls in the state.
It was relegated to the third position after TMC and Congress as it managed to get only 26 seats against 40 last time in the 294-member Assembly.
Congress, with which it fought the elections jointly, improved a bit this time by getting 44 seats against 42 last time.

However, notwithstanding its unhappiness over tie-up with Congress during the polls, CPI(M) said the two parties, along with others, should launch a "united struggle" against the alleged attacks by the ruling TMC cadres against members of the opposition parties.

He did not comment when asked if his party will take along in the "united struggle" the BJP, which is also alleging attacks by the TMC cadres.
"...We have taken a very brave cognisance of the widespread violence that has been unleashed in West Bengal where all opposition parties are being attacked by Trinamool Congress.
"This is a grave situation in Bengal, so politburo has given a call for a united struggle against this violence by all opposition forces in the state and we have called for a united resistance to this," the CPI(M) leader said.
Accusing TMC of launching a "systematic attack" on the opposition parties in the state, he said the Mamata Banerjee-led party is targeting political rivals in those constituencies where it was "rejected".

(Reopen DEL39)
"People are being individually targeted, saying either you disown your political affiliations and join them. In fact it has gone to the extent that there fines are being extorted. People have been asked to pay fine for not voting for the TMC," Yechuary claimed.
He also accused the RSS-BJP of targeting CPI(M) and Left Democratic Front (LDF) workers in Kerala and asked the saffron organisations to "respect the verdict of people and desist from such murderous onslaughts".
Left Front won the elections in Kerala, ousting Congress.
Yechury accused the RSS-BJP combine of attacking Left cadre on 41 occasions after the Kerala polls, killing two CPI(M) workers and injuring 82 others .

"...This unleashing of attacks by RSS-BJP is a result of the fact that they refuse to accept people's verdict in Kerala... We are hoping that the new LDF Government in accordance with law, will take stringent action and punish the guilty," he added.
The CPI(M) leader also maintained the decision to "accommodate" party veteran VS Achuthanandan in the newly-formed Kerala government will be taken by the Pinarayi Vijayan dispensation there and said the process in this regard has been set rolling.
"These are not decisions that can be taken by the CPI(M) politburo, but the Government of Kerala. And the government of Kerala, legally, will have to set the process rolling, which I believe has been set rolling, so you will know shortly. Show a little patience," he added.

The LDF will work with a resolve to fulfill commitments made to people of Kerala, he added.
The Marxist leader said party units in the five states which went to polls recently will prepare their review reports which will be discussed during party's Central Committee meeting to be held between June 18 and June 20.