Left Wondering

Yechury’s term as CPI(M) general secretary might end at the Party Congress in April. But, a lot can happen in two months

- Jomy Thomas

Sitaram Yechury often says that the Communist Party of India (Marxist), of which he is gen-eral secretary, has the patent for the concept of ‘outside support’ in Indian politics. On January 21, at the party’s Central Committee meeting in Kolkata, Yechury had first-hand experience of what it meant to lead with outside support. His draft resolution for a possible tie-up with the Congress was rejected in favour of one moved by his predecessor Prakash Karat. It was voted upon and approved 55 to 31. The “Polit Bureau Draft”, jointly prepared by Karat and PB member S. Ramachandran Pillai, argued for “appropriate electoral tactics to maximise the pooling of anti-BJP votes” without “having an understanding with the Congress”.

As a CC member put it: “It was a foregone conclusion that Yechury’s document would be defeated. Anti-Congress sentiments are inherent among the majority of the members.”