Divided in State, Left falls by wayside

UNITED AT the Centre and divided in Uttar Pradesh. The CPI and the CPI(M), the two main constituents of the Left Front, are on the same platform when it comes to cornering the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on public issues, but in UP the two parties are treading separate paths. This has provided much relief to Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

While both the CPI and the CPI(M) have planned statewide protests against the UP Government on issues ranging from the non-implementation of the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to deteriorating law and order, they will take to the streets separately.

At its June 4 meeting, which was attended by secretary AB Bardhan, the CPI passed a resolution to launch movement against the State Government in alliance with the Jan Morcha and its allies.

A day earlier, the CPI(M) in its meeting, which was attended by party general secretary Prakash Karat, had decided to go all alone.    

While CPI has planned demonstrations at district headquarters on June 26, the CPI(M) will hold protest rally outside the Vidhan Bhawan on June 29.

The state units of both the parties have also chalked out district-level protests to be held in July.

“In the State, the CPI and the CPI(M) have influence in few pockets and if we remain divided then it will certainly benefit the Samajwadi Party,” leaders of both the parties opined.

CPI(M) state unit secretary SP Kashyap said their focus was to strengthen the organisation and educate the people on public issues.

“The politics of opportunism will lead us to nowhere. In UP, masses are divided on caste lines and to have a secular government we must weaken the casteist and communal forces,” he added.

Another CPI(M) leader said the CPI was jumping onto the Jan Morcha bandwagon for short-term gains. It would not benefit the CPI as the aim of small regional parties that have joined Jan Morcha was to grab power.

“We are working to strengthen Left Front in the State,” Kashyap reiterated. He said, “both the CPI and the CPI(M) should work in coordination to strengthen the Left Front in UP”.

On the other hand, CPI leaders accused the CPI(M) of being soft towards the Samajwadi Party. “The people want to get rid of the SP Government and to check the division of votes all secular parties should come on a single platform.

“We have already launched a movement to free UP from the clutches of SP but the CPI(M) stayed away from the rally,” a CPI leader said.

Member of the national working committee of the CPI Atul Kumar Anjan said, “Our position is clear and we will talk with the CPI (M) on the issue of organising a joint movement”.