CPI(M) may partner NDA after success of Bharat bandh

The success of Monday’s Bharat bandh has prompted the CPI(M) to enter into an issue-based clandestine understanding with the BJP and other NDA allies to mount pressure on the Congress-led UPA government. The parties will not announce any joint agitation against the UPA, but the arrangement will be such that it has a national impact.

The issues for which they may jointly agitate include, inflation, oil price hike, nuclear liability bill, Maoist problem, Kashmir issue and the Bhopal gas tragedy, sources said.  

“Such issues have no link with the BJP’s communal issues. But at the same time, their [BJP and Left] contentions on such issues are the same. For example, both CPI(M) and BJP feel that one of the leading UPA allies are acting as semi-Maoists. This does not mean that two share the same ideological platform. It is just that there has been convergence of contentions on issues that involve the lives and livelihood of common people,” a senior CPI(M) leader said.

The CPI(M), however, wants to be open about future coordination with NDA allies like Sharad Yadav’s JD(U). “What’s the harm in coordinating with JD(U) on bigger national issues that involves the lives and livelihood of common people?” the CPI(M) leader said.

He admitted that nationally the strength of the Left parties is not that impressive and hence issue-based coordination with national parties was necessary. “A coordination between JD(U) and CPI(M) will be convergence of socialist and communist Left,” he said.

The decision on the issue-based coordination with national parties against the UPA was taken at a politburo meeting last Sunday.