Karat rules out secret ballot

POWER | STRUGGLE CPM veteran dismisses reports of split in party

CPM politburo member Prakash Karat on Friday ruled out the possibilities of conducting a secret ballot on passing party’s political resolution in the ongoing national convention in the city.

He said that party will go for the voting in case there in no unanimity on political resolution. He dismissed reports of split in the party on this issue.

Mr. Karat made it clear that it was not the party's practice to disallow someone from taking responsibility even if he or she held a minority view.

His comments assumed significance in the backdrop of speculation over the removal of general secretary Sitaram Yechury from the post in case his minority view on the draft political resolution gets defeated in the convention.

“In our party, there is always a majority and a minority view. In all our political discussions, it is a normal thing to have divergent views. It is not a new thing. Once different views are expressed and it is collectively decided by a vote, then it becomes a collective opinion of the party," Mr. Karat told a press conference here on Friday.

He said, "In our party, everybody has the right to express their views in the right forum. Some minority view person cannot take responsibility as that is not our practice."

“Secret ballot is an unprecedented demand, it has never been practiced in the party convention earlier," Mr. Karat stated.

However, he also pointed out that a final decision on this issue will be taken by the highest decision making body of CPI(M).

On the second day of discussions on the draft political resolution, several more delegates supported the demand for a secret ballot. Some of them also submitted it in writing.

Party insiders say that generally, all voting is held by a show of hands. A decision on the issue would be taken by the CPI(M) Politburo.