Following old policies in Bengal will lead to Party's end in Bengal

Kozhikode: If the party follows the old line regarding ties with the Congress, CPI-M will collapse in West Bengal, said the party's Secretary General Sitaram Yechuri. In order to defeat the BJP government in the country, a broad political co-operation is inevitable. But the party will not lose anything in Kerala for that reason, Yechuri told TV channel 'Media One'.

The CPI-M General Secretary made his position clear through a television channel for the first time, amidst the internal party debate getting heated regarding the party's Congress ties.

He said that contrary to other states, in West Bengal the contest was going along communal lines. The ruling party was pampering minority communalism, countering which majority communalism was growing on the other side. Thus both of these help each other and it deprives the Communist party of an opportunity to intervene. If one looks at the by-poll result of West Bengal, this will become clear. This creates a situation wherein Communist party will collapse completely. Therefore, the logical intervention to make is one of ensuring the people's maximum possible support. If the CPI-M pursues the same old policy, it will see is end in the state.

He said that the situation in Kerala is different. Co-operation in a broad sense will not adversely affect the party. When CPI-M supported the UPA government at a national level, it did not harm the CPI-M. The party had won a creditable victory against the UDF in Kerala. There is no second opinion in the party that the BJP is the chief enemy. Yechuri said he had not faced any criticism within the party that he was pro-Congress. The main aim is to mobilize the votes of secular forces to take on the BJP. Therefore, he will raise his case again.

Yechuri listed three things that the party has to address: first to boost the political strength of the party. Secondly, win the co-operation of Left forces and thirdly achieve co-ordination of the democratic forces of the party on the basis of a broad policy. He was advocating these objectives.

Yechuri said that the question whether he should continue in the post of Secretary has to be decided by the Party Congress.