THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: M A Baby’s elevation to the top post was long expected. Yet his election was not without inner-party differences. A decade after the CPM witnessed a fierce contest for the secretary post at its 21st Congress in Visakhapatanam, the latest edition saw differences of opinion and challenges to the official proposal.
At the 16-member politburo meeting on Saturday night, it wasn’t an easy pass for Baby. Sources said as soon as Prakash Karat proposed Baby’s name, Ashok Dhawale proposed the name of West Bengal secretary Mohammed Salim, who promptly turned down the same. It is learnt that the Bengal faction -- five PB members -- were in favour of Dhawale. Apparently, Surjya Kanta Mishra, Salim, Nilotpal Basu, Tapan Sen, Ramachandra Dome, and Dhawale were not keen on Baby.
It has been pointed out that the attempt was to prevent Dhawale, the peasant leader who is more of an activist, from coming to the top. The Kerala unit initially supported Brinda Karat, with the required extension. But after opposition against age relaxation, the Kerala unit chose to stand with Baby.
After having lost its case in the PB meeting on Saturday, the Bengal faction didn’t raise any opposition at the central committee meeting on Sunday. However, the fact remains that the Dhawale effect was felt throughout. In the politburo, there is more representation now for the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) -- Dhawale, Vijoo, and Amra Ram. Dhawale’s wife, Mariam, has also made it to the PB, thus becoming the seond couple in the top CPM body after Brinda and Prakash Karat.
“In a way, the first-of-its-kind election to the central committee too should be viewed as some kind of a Dhawale effect. Why should a Maharashtra leader (D L Karad), knowing fully well that he would lose, challenge the official panel? He was sending out a message. There was resentment among comrades from states like UP and Maharashtra,” said a source.
Coming out of the Party Congress venue, Karad told reporters that he contested because “those from trade unions and fighting class struggles should be given representation in CC”.
Meanwhile, Dhawale told TNIE that the election only goes to show that the CPM supports inner-party democracy. “Can other parties like the BJP or the Congress make such claims? If a leader wants to contest, he can. We respect his right to do so,” Dhawale said.
Although not at the level of ideological battles once fought between the Karat and Yechury factions in the past, the CPM continues to witness strong differences of opinion regarding the party’s approach. Developments at the 21st Congress, though mostly dormant, show that it is not going to be an easy affair for Baby on the organisational front in the coming days.