West Bengal rejects Central committee decision; Politburo puts on a brave face
Thiruvananthapuram: Majority of the leaders in West Bengal state committee rejected the central committee decision terming the “electoral alliance” with Congress as “not in consonance with the political tactical line” even as CPM politburo denied serious differences in the party. Sources said of the 37 leaders who took part in the discussions 34 opposed the central committee decision, two supported it and the stand of one comrade was ambiguous.
At the meeting held in Kolkata on Sunday which was attended by central leaders including party general secretary Sitaram Yechury, politburo member Prakash Karat, the Bengal comrades pointed out that the CC decision was against the wishes of 2.15 crore people in Bengal who had voted against the TMC and BJP of which 1.48 crore had voted for the Left Front.
The deliberations held in West Bengal state committee will be reported at the next politburo meeting scheduled to take place later this month. Sources said the discussion on Bengal is going to be a long drawn one. Meanwhile, a communique issued by the politburo said: “Some distorted reports have appeared in sections of the media about the meeting of the West Bengal State Committee of the party attended by politburo members which was held on July 10, 2016 at Kolkata.”
It said the meeting was held to discuss the decision of the Central Committee regarding the tactics to be pursued in West Bengal. The Central Committee had stated that the broadest unity should be forged for fighting the violence and terror and protecting democratic rights against the ruling Trinamool Congress onslaughts in West Bengal.
According to politburo statement, the rectification in the tactics pertained to the adherence to the line adopted at the 21st Congress of the CPI(M) not to pursue any electoral alliance or understanding with the Congress party in the coming days. Based on the reporting of the PB, the West Bengal State Committee decided to take concrete measures to put this understanding into place, it added.
