The CPI(M) politburo members along with its central committee members joined the three-day CC meeting at the state party headquarters today. It is learnt that the party will finalise the political and tactical resolutions which will be adopted in party congress to be held in Hyderabad in April.

The party will prepare a detailed strategy to tackle BJP in the state as two different lobbies of the party, owing allegiance to former general secretary Prakash Karat and current general secretary Sitaram Yechuri, reached a consensus that BJP is the most “dangerous force” in the state and the Centre.

However, party sources said the factions led by Yechury and predecessor Karat could gear up for another showdown at the party’s central committee meeting if they fail to iron out their differences on the party’s approach towards the Congress. The CC will then consider two separate drafts of the political resolution.

The CPI(M) will organise a party congress in Hyderabad from 18 February to 22 February and this CC will finalise the political resolution for the 22-party congress.

The two sides differed on the party’s approach at the last politburo meeting in December. They had agreed to work to curb down the divergence of views and present one document, but differences persist and two documents ~ by Yechury, and by Karat and S R Pillai ~ will be considered by the central committee.

Both sides agreed that the primary objective of the party should be to oust the BJP-led government at the Centre. Three of the five points made by Yechury in the revised draft are in this fashion: Strengthen the party and its independent activities, strengthen Left unity through movements and forge a unity of Left and democratic forces and form a Left and democratic front to offer a political alternative. Sources said the Karat side agreed with this. Earlier Yechury also said the party should have an anti-communal campaign in cooperation with other secular forces.

Party sources said the Karat side, however, is unwilling to accept his last formulation that the party should work to achieve its primary objective of defeating the BJP and ousting it from power “without entering into an electoral alliance or front” with ruling-class parties.

The Karat draft says the party should work to achieve the same goal “without entering into any understanding of alliance with the Congress”.
It goes on to say that in states where there are dominant regional parties, the party can have an understanding with them even though they are in alliance with the Congress. The specific example could be Tamil

Nadu where the CPM wants an alliance with the DMK which will have an alliance with the Congress.

The Karat draft also says that in states where the Congress and the BJP are in a direct fight, the CPM can contest a few seats and campaign for the defeat of the BJP in other seats.

The Yechury faction said the Karat formulation is contradictory as the party giving a call for the defeat of the BJP which means seeking for support to the Congress. “So a consensus must be reached to resolve this,” a senior leader party leader said.

Meanwhile, former Kerala chief minister and an invited member of the CC, VS Achuthanandan, who did not attend CC meeting wrote letters to the members for a greater unity of the democratic forces, in which Congress must be included.

CPI-M leaders Gautam Deb and Mridul Dey urged for a united democratic force in the state which could fight BJP and Trinamul Congress. Party sources said they demanded inclusion of the Congress to the democratic forces.