CPM Leaders Argue For 'Adjustment' With Congress 'To Resist Saffron Surge' In Bengal Conference

Kolkata: The CPI(M) state conference witnessed heated debates on Monday as several leaders of the party's Bengal unit openly argued in favour of an "adjustment" with the Congress "to resist saffron surge", a source in the party said.

The four-day-long state conference, which began on Friday, will see the presence of the entire top brass of the party, including CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and senior leaders Prakash Karat and Brinda Karat.

The leaders discussed the party's "dismal" performance in Tripura and said that the results have proved that the CPI(M) along with other Left parties have failed to put up a resistance against the onslaught of the BJP and the RSS, the source said.

"We should shed our inhibitions against the Congress for the greater cause of the nation. We neither have the individual strength nor the resources to take on our rivals," a CPI(M) leader said after the meeting.

Almost 80 per cent of the leaders have favoured an "adjustment" with the Congress and called for an amendment in the draft political resolution, which had recently voted out the provision of an alliance with the grand old party, he said on the condition of anonymity.

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A small section of leaders, however, said the party should be increasing its strength rather than "banking on other political outfits to pass the electoral battles", the CPI(M) leader said.

"With the panchayat polls knocking at the door, several leaders expressed apprehensions whether the party would be able to field candidates in all the seats if it fights alone against the ruling TMC," he said.

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According to sources in the CPI(M), the party leadership will present its organizational report and discuss the provisions of the draft political resolution that was adopted at the last central committee in January during the four-day-long conference.