CPM Makes Historic Break With Past, Puts On Divergent Views On Congress

Kolkata: The CPM's party congress began in Hyderabad on Wednesday and the flag hoisting and inaugural speech by party general secretary Sitaram Yechury was open to all, as is tradition. 

Also as is tradition, the meeting of the delegates was closed door. 

But that is where tradition ended. And the CPM came face to face with what could be one of its gravest internal crises and efforts are on to make "adjustments". 

Instead of Sitaram Yechury, former general secretary Prakash Karat presented the draft political resolution in which any truck with the Congress has been strongly ruled out. 

Mr Yechury instead presented the minority point of view in the party's central committee on the political tactical line - that some kind of understanding with the Congress should not be entirely ruled out. 

According to several delegates, this is the first time such a situation has arisen in the history of the CPM. That differences over the position on an issue were so sharp, both the draft political resolution and its contrary view had to be presented at the party congress. 

The party's press release at the end of the day played down the startling development: "Since there is a divergent view within the Central Committee on the political-tactical line to be pursued in order to ensure that the unanimously agreed goal to defeat the BJP-RSS government and since the Party Congress is the highest forum to decide on this issue, in the best tradition of inner-Party democracy, debate and discussions, the minority point of view of the Central Committee was placed before the delegates by Comrade Sitaram Yechury." 

But among the delegates from across the country attending the party congress to decide its political guidelines for the next five years,  there is shock and awe, and questions.

Will the CPM split? Unlikely, say sources. But will the draft political resolution be amended and the anti-Congress line diluted? Will Sitaram Yechury quit if it is not? If he does, who next? 

Back in February, when the party had met to finalise the draft political resolutions, Prakash Karat had presented one, and Sitaram Yechury another. Prakash Karat's version had won majority support. According to sources, Mr Yechury had wished to resign then, but was dissuaded.  

The party congress ends on 22nd April.