Battle lines drawn on red turf

Divergences have always been subtle in the Left bloc, especially the CPM. But with personal ambitions getting a leg-up over the ideological differences, the fight is out in the open between CPM general secretary Prakash Karat and wannabe party chief Sitaram Yechury.

Though the duo has never had a good equation, except may be in joining hands to stop CPM patriarch the late Jyoti Basu from becoming  Prime Minister, the tiff between the two comrades had always been an insider’s secret. But now it is out in the open, with one trying to scuttle the political moves by the other just like a political adversary.

The latest cause of the schism between the two CPM stalwarts is over the political line to be adopted towards the Congress as the date of the Lok Sabha polls draws closer. 

While Karat, who is still latching on to his once failed Third Front dream, is strictly against having anything to do with the Congress, Yechury, who had played a prominent role during the UPA-I days,  wants an “open and softer” approach towards the Congress.  And the rift between the two was quite evident last week when Yechury tried to snub the SP, BSP and the JD(S) in one go, questioning their secular and ideological credentials.

It was also a little more than a mere coincidence that it was on the same day that Karat held closed-door discussions with SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav to decide on the future of a grand coalition against the Congress and BJP.

Ruling out the possibility of supporting the Congress again “even if Rahul Gandhi were there”, Karat had said that Mulayam would play a decisive role in the coming polls. “Mulayamji had worked with us earlier also and if his party is in a strong position (in the polls), he could well be a Prime Ministerial candidate,” the CPM chief had said.

Interestingly, Yechury chose the same day to question the reliability of the SP and other possible Third Front partners. Pointing out the  anomaly of the SP and BSP jointly supporting the Congress-led UPA Government,he said it is not clear who is the opponent and who is the supporter, thereby putting a question mark on the reliability quotient of the two parties.

Similarly, he also snubbed the JD(S) by questioning its secular credentials. “I have personally asked them to take away the term ‘secular’ from the party’s name. What right do they have to put such a tag in their name after entering into a  tacit understanding with the BJP in the Karnataka Assembly elections?” he said.

Meanwhile, a CPM leader said, “a Politburo member could not be more vocal than this in expressing differences with the party general secretary.” Moreover, he pointed out that the duo had always adopted a different line with regard to the Congress within the party forums. “But it  had never been this apparent,” said the leader who is a member of the CPM Central Committee (CC).

According to him, Yechury, who had “tasted” power during the halcyon days of the UPA-I as the CPM’s Parliamentary face is yet to get over it and wants a similar arrangement with the Congress.  On the other hand Karat is still smarting at the unceremonious manner in which Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi, whom he had trusted implicitly, had  shown him his place.  “Unlike the previous generation of CPM leaders, both are placing greater leverage on their personal likes and dislikes over ideology,” said another party leader.  He said the two had expressed their differences  at the time of the last elections as well.  “But then it was limited to their writings in the People’s Democracy, the party’s mouth piece. Now, it is out in the open,” he said.

But according to another leader, there is more to the rivalry than just the political ties with the Congress party. “The fact that Karat’s term as general secretary is coming to an end has heated up the internal rivalry. Yechury should be the natural choice after Karat for the post. But the Karat faction is determined to scuttle his chances and wants either Brinda (Karat) or S Ramachandran Pillai to take over.

Being aware of this gameplan, Yechury will do everything possible to stop Karat from becoming a national player in politics,” he said.  Interestingly, while the CPM’s Kerala unit, is solidly behind Karat, its Bengal unit has no love lost for Karat.

Some clarity regarding the political line will be clear only after the next CC -- Though it is scheduled for December, it may be held earlier as the fight is now out in the open, said a leader.

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