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CPI-M congress to give new direction on fight against BJP: Sitaram Yechury
Yechury also accused the BJP-led government of "willingly succumbing" to international pressures on economic issues.
By
migrator
migrator
Hyderabad
A mega CPI(M) meet will give a new direction to the party on mobilising democratic forces to defeat the BJP, general secretary Sitaram Yechury said today.
In his inaugural speech at the 22nd party congress being held here, Yechury said only the Left could give an alternative to the BJP's "anti-people policies".
"I am confident that this congress would give a new direction to our party for strengthening the independent activities of our party for intensifying the people's struggle and political intervention for strengthening the unity of the Left forces and ... of Left and democratic forces to defeat the BJP," Yechury said.
His remarks assume significance in view of a bitter debate that has divided the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in recent times.
Delegates to the five-day congress -- the party's highest decision-making forum-- are to discuss a resolution which would chalk out the political roadmap for the party for the next three years and, with general elections just a year away, give directions on political alliances and understandings.
The Marxist party is divided on whether it should have an understanding with the Congress.
Yechury is likely to face a tough challenge from a section supporting his predecessor, Prakash Karat, who holds that the CPI(M) should not have any alliance with the Congress, while the general secretary is believed to be in favour of it.
Attacking the government at the Centre, the former Member of Parliament said it was being controlled by the RSS, which is pursuing policies that have imposed "unprecedented miseries" on the people and "grievously threatened" the unity and integrity of the country.
He referred to attacks on Left workers, and alleged it was the principal target of communal forces because it championed the cause of the people.
Yechury also accused the BJP-led government of "willingly succumbing" to international pressures on economic issues.
"The challenges that we face in India are related to international developments. The prolonged crisis of global capitalism, apart from imposing unprecedented attacks on working people in developing countries, is also intensifying the pressures on developing countries like ours to further open our markets and resources for the profit maximisation of international finance capital," Yechury said.
Yechury not allowed to table political report at major CPM meet
In an unprecedented move, the CPI(M) Central Committee today did not allow General Secretary Sitaram Yechury to present the crucial draft political resolution at the ongoing party congress here.
The draft, which once adopted by the congress would finalise the political line of the CPI(M) for the next three years, was instead presented by former general secretary Prakash Karat.
According to party sources, this is "probably the first time" that the draft resolution, one of the most important ducuments, has been not presented by the general secretarty. Yechury, however, presented placed the draft minority report at the congress, which was defeated at the previous central committee meeting last month.
The critical issue in the draft centres around whether the CPI(M) should join hands with "all secular, democratic forces", including the Congress, to take on the BJP.
While the Karat faction has been against any understanding with the Congress, the Yechury faction has favoured joining hands with all secular parties to fight the BJP in the changed scenario, including the recent ouster of the CPI(M)-led Left Front from Tripura.
The decision not to allow Yechury to present the draft resolution has certainly not gone down well with the delegation from Bengal.
"It clearly shows that the hardliners led by Karat want to show that the party does not agree with the Yechury line of having any kind of understanding with the Congress party in defeating the BJP," said a CPI(M) leader requesting anonymity.
"Though there is nothing in our (CPI-M) constitution that if a particular line is defeated, then the person taking that like would have to quit, but defeat of a line means moral defeat and shows that he can not lead a party," another delegate said.
The debate on the draft political report which began today is likely to end in voting as both factions are sticking to their respective stances, though there is a section within the leadership which feels a middle path can be found out to satisfy both sides.
The discussion on the draft will continue tomorrow at the five-day CPI(M) Congress.
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