CPM to 'Ekla Chalo Re'

Kozhikode: At the end of three days of deliberations at Kozhikode, the CPM seems to have made up its mind and has decided to 'ekla chalo re' or go it alone.

The party on Friday adopted the review report and political resolution presented by general secretary Prakash Karat, seeking to forge a Left democratic alternative against the 'neo-liberal' policies of Congress party and 'communal' agenda pursued by BJP.

They emphasized that the left democratic alternative would not be an electoral front. They would try and increase CPM's independent strength and also their ties with other Left parties. But they would decide on their ties with other regional parties on a case to case or issue to issue basis.

Making this announcement, Brinda Karat told the media that they would a fundamental policy alternative to the Congress and the BJP.

"We are going to work for independent mobilization of different sections of like minded people and groups and this will have nothing to do with elections," she added.

Advertisement

The decision seems to have been made after the Third Front experiment of 2009, which failed to get off the ground. The Left were routed in the general elections of 2009. More recently, they lost West Bengal and Kerala last year. And this March, in the Assembly polls, they couldn't win a single seat.

So while they have trashed the third front option, what will be their electoral strategy in the next elections will be a wait and watch situation.

Advertisement