CPI(M) Politburo member Prakash Karat, who had rejected party general secretary Sitaram Yechury’s stand of not completely shutting the door on the Congress, says the party has made the political line very clear and electoral tactics will be decided at the time of elections.
Karat, 70, says divergence in views on the party’s stand on various issues has been resolved and all decisions taken at the party congress will be implemented by the entire party.
He is confident the party’s decisions will help the Kerala unit carry its fight forward against the BJP-RSS in the state.
In an interview with The New Sunday Express, Karat talks about the shrinking party membership, functioning of the party and the Karnataka elections.
Can the CPI(M) have an electoral understanding with the Congress on the lines of 1996/2004 or 2016 in West Bengal?
The Political Resolution adopted by the party congress spells out the party’s political-tactical line for the coming days. It does not deal with electoral tactics to be pursued at the time of elections either at the national level or in the states. Hence, there is no confusion. We shall evolve suitable electoral tactics which will help maximise the pooling of anti-BJP votes based on the political line adopted.
Have the differences between the party’s top leadership been put to rest after the adoption of the Political Resolution, especially in the context of the political organisation report highlighting lack of cohesion among Politburo members?
Whatever divergent views were there in the course of the discussions in the run-up to the party congress, they have been resolved. The political-tactical line will be implemented by the entire party.
What was the need for the party congress to amend the majority draft after the Central Committee approved it in January 2018?
In our party, the draft political resolution goes through various stages of discussion. The party congress gives the final seal of approval.
The job of the Central Committee is to present a draft resolution for discussion in the party and to be clinched at the party congress.
What role is the CPI(M) expected to play in the 2019 general elections?
As I said, we will adopt appropriate electoral tactics which will help to consolidate all anti-BJP votes. How this can be done cannot be decided now.
Will it be difficult for the party to convince the Kerala cadre?
In Kerala, the CPI(M) and the Left Democratic Front are the leading force against the BJP-RSS. The political line adopted at the congress will help them to carry this fight forward.
With the new political line, what will be the message to party supporters and cadre ahead of the Karnataka elections?
We have already decided to fight 18 seats in the Assembly elections. We have an understanding with the CPI, which is also fighting a certain number of seats. We have no understanding with any other party. We will campaign generally for the defeat of the BJP in the entire state. As for our party members and supporters, in the seats where the Left is not contesting, they will be asked to vote for the strongest candidate who can defeat the BJP.
The political organisation report talks about shrinking membership in many states. What is the reason behind it?
There is a fall in membership in many states. This was expected. The Plenum on Organisation, which we held in December 2015, had directed that the quality of party membership must be improved.
For this, we are enforcing a five-point criterion that should be fulfilled by party members when their membership comes up for annual renewal. This has led to some members being dropped from the party in various states.
Is the drop in party membership a cause of worry?
This process will continue in the renewals this year too. If we improve the quality of the party members, then the scope for expansion of the party through various activities will grow.