The CPI(M) wants a broad-based opposition unity to check the aggressive Hindutva campaign with the “patronage” of the BJP-led government and to oppose its ‘neo-liberal’ economic agenda.
Tipped to be the front-runner for the party’s top post of General Secretary at the six-day Congress beginning tomorrow in Vishakhapatnam, senior leader Sitaram Yechury is cautious about a truck with Congress at this stage. But he welcomes the coming together of the Janata Parivar and its implications on an anti-government front in Parliament.
“Broad-based opposition unity is needed to prevent the ‘Trimurti’ of neo-liberal reforms, aggressive Hindutva and the authoritarian trend of the BJP-led government from becoming a ‘Trishul’ to damage common man’s interests and the country’s secular, democratic fabric,” the 62-year-old leader said in an interview to PTI.
The CPI(M), whose political importance has vastly reduced after the last year’s Lok Sabha elections, is expected to work out the strategy and tactical line on the opposition unity at its 21st Party Congress, the first after it lost power in its erstwhile bastion of West Bengal.
To questions on the decline of the party, Yechury said, “The basic question before the party is to strengthen itself by looking at the objective reality.
“Ten years ago, the party was deciding who will form government at the Centre and now we have been reduced to single digits in both Houses of Parliament. We have lost in West Bengal and Kerala and our political presence in these and other state assemblies have gone down,” he said.
Outlining the challenges before it and the national politics, Yechury said, “The biggest challenge is to stop this ‘Trimurti’ from becoming a ‘Trishul’ that can rupture the people’s livelihood and the foundations of the secular, democratic Indian republic.”
Yechury said the first challenge was to counter the Narendra Modi government’s moves to pursue the ‘neo-liberal’ agenda “more vigorously than the Manmohan Singh regime, posing more burdens on the common man.”
The second challenge was that the government was “providing state patronage for aggressive pursuit of the Hindutva agenda”, through campaigns like ‘ghar wapasi’, ‘love jihad’, replacing history with mythology which were being accompanied by attacks on religious minorities, he said.
Parliamentary norms and procedures are being distorted and violated. The latest instance is the reissue of the land acquisition ordinance. These are ominous authoritative trends,” Yechury said, adding that these three major challenges constituted what he termed as the ‘Trimurti’.
“Our primary focus will be to build a front of Left and democratic forces who are willing to join and strengthen people’s struggles on all these three counts,” he said.
He parried questions on joining hands with Congress on joint opposition campaign against the government, saying he cannot answer questions on the political line ahead of the party Congress.
In this context, he referred to the recent unity of opposition parties in Parliament over the Land Acquisition Bill when they jointly marched to meet the President and said, “On specific issues, we shall continue to unite with all parties in the Opposition as we did recently.”
Replying to a question on how his party viewed the unification efforts of the Janata Dal grouping, Yechury said historically, there have been two Left streams in Indian politics–the communist Left and the socialist Left.
“The socialist Left unfortunately got divided and became very disparate — from sections supporting the BJP to those supporting the Congress. Their disarray was much more than the divisions in the communist Left.
“If they are making efforts at reforging their unity, it is good. However, this unity should be based on policies, principles and a programme. Mere unity for tactical electoral considerations cannot meet this objective,” he said.
On beefing up the party, Yechury said efforts would be made, first to strengthen the organisation, second to strengthen the unity of Left parties and forces and thirdly, “on this basis, forge the unity of Left and democratic forces to eventually form a Left-Democratic front.”
Asked about speculation that he was the front-runner to take over the reins of CPI(M) as a General Secretary from Prakash Karat at the Congress, Yechury said, “I am a member of the outgoing Central Committee. Hence I can’t answer any questions concerning the new leadership.”
He said his party vigorously followed an intense procedure of inner-party democracy. “Not only are our resolutions subjected to thorough and intense inner-party discussion, comrades being assigned responsibilities are also decided on the basis of a thorough-going collective exercise.”
Observing that the party Congress is the highest decision-making body attended by delegates chosen from the lowest level onwards, he said “these delegates elect a Central Committee till the next Congress. The newly-elected CC in turn elects the General Secretary and the Politburo.
While CPI(M) membership has remained stagnant at around 11 lakh members, some of its mass organisations’ strength has declined in the past year.
“The challenge under these circumstances is to regain the strength of the party and reverse this situation, because it is only on the basis of CPI(M)’s independent strength and activities, can its Parliamentary strength exist,” Yechury said, adding that this challenge was formidable.
However, a “ray of hope” was that more and more youths were joining the party whose composition has started changing “which is natural and healthy. India is today predominantly young and more and more youths have come forward to take up responsibilities in the party,” Yechury said.
“These are encouraging signs which will also find reflection is the Party Congress,” the CPI(M) leader said.
While CPI(M) membership has remained stagnant at around 11 lakh members, some of its mass organisations’ strength has declined in the past year.
“The challenge under these circumstances is to regain the strength of the party and reverse this situation, because it is only on the basis of CPI(M)’s independent strength and activities, can its Parliamentary strength exist,” Yechury said, adding that this challenge was formidable.
However, a “ray of hope” was that more and more youths were joining the party whose composition has started changing “which is natural and healthy. India is today predominantly young and more and more youths have come forward to take up responsibilities in the party,” Yechury said.
“These are encouraging signs which will also find reflection is the Party Congress,” the CPI(M) leader said.
 for Broad-Based Oppn Unity Against Modi Govt: Yechury){kind=link}