CPM calls BJP enemy no. 1, rules out pact with Cong

Draft document threatens Opp. unity ahead of 2019 polls

In a setback to hopes of Opposition unity before the 2019 general elections, a draft political resolution to be taken up at the CPI( M) party congress in April has ruled out any truck with the Congress despite declaring BJP as “enemy number one”.

The draft, which was released on Tuesday for public debate, appeared to be self- contradictory on many issues as it could not provide a vision for defeating the BJP without any electoral understanding with the Congress, which is the biggest Opposition party at the national level. Also, there was no clarity on post- poll options for the party.

The so- called “politicaltactical” line of the party in fact seemed confused on how to deal with the Congress which it branded as a party which represents the interests of the “bourgeois- landlord” classes.

The document said that the Congress professes to be secular but it has proved to be incapable of consistently fighting the communal forces.

The document said, “The main task is to defeat the BJP and its allies by rallying all the secular and democratic forces. However, this has to be done without having an understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress.”

In an apparent contradiction, a few sentences later, the draft said, “Appropriate electoral tactics to maximise the pooling of anti- BJP votes should be adopted”. It offered no explanation as to how anti- BJP votes can be maximised without aligning with the Congress.

Sources said that the final draft is a “substantial climb down” from the majority draft circulated at the Central Committee meeting last month and has gone through at least six revisions. At least two paras on alliances with regional parties have been deleted.

Factions led by party general secretary Sitaram Yechury and his predecessor and Politburo member Prakash Karat have been locked in a bitter debate over whether or not to align with the Congress in 2019.

Many, however, see this