Stay away from Congress’ economic policy, Hindutva stance: CPM draft

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM should distance itself from the Congress on neo-liberal policies and be critical of the latter’s compromising stance on Hindutva communal issues, the CPM leadership has observed. While the INDIA bloc must continue as an Opposition platform, the CPM should simultaneously work out specific tactics and adapt a state-specific approach, said the party’s draft Political Review presented before its three-day central committee meet.

Noticeably, post Sitaram Yechury, the CPM has taken a guarded approach towards furthering any ties with the Congress. In a marked difference from the Yechury line, the draft leans more towards the Kerala CPM-backed Prakash Karat line that insists on keeping the Congress at bay. With Karat being the politburo coordinator, the draft has chosen to toe a more hardline approach.

“The INDIA bloc, as a loose platform that seeks to gather secular Opposition parties, mainly for uniting and pooling anti-BJP votes, should continue. Its main focus of work will be Parliament and periodical elections,” the report said. However, the CPM cannot be part of any broad alliance in both Kerala and West Bengal, said the document.