Expelled CPI (M) leader continues attack against Congress-Left tie-up

Continuing her tirade against the "open understanding" between Congress and Left in West Bengal polls, expelled CPI(M) leader Jagmati Sangwan on Tuesday termed the tie-up as the "worst example of violation" of party line and suggested that party's central leadership shielded state leaders who had deviated from the stand.

In a strongly-worded Facebook post, Sangwan hit out at party general secretary Sitaram Yechury charging him with presenting to the central committee (CC) a "minority view" of the Politburo that the alliance "was not in consonance" with party's political-tactical line, instead of the majority view that the tie-up was in "violation" of the stand. This, she suggested, meant that those responsible for the drubbing went unpunished as "no responsibility would be fixed for the violation of the line".

Sangwan also accused West Bengal state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra and state Left Front chairman Biman Basu of "literally blackmailing" the entire CC by threatening to resign if the majority view was accepted during the meeting, which concluded yesterday.

"The open 'understanding' between Congress and Left in the elections in Bengal according to me was the worst example of violation of party line which was formed after such lengthy discussions and debate. This has resulted in our party's worst ever electoral performance in the state," Sangwan said.

"I feel the election results are only a reflection of complete rejection of this opportunistic alliance with a bourgeois party that has a history of inflicting severe violence against our own cadre in West Bengal," she said.

Sangwan, who was a CC member, further said the majority note of the Politburo had presented to the 101-member Committee a report describing the electoral tactics adopted in the state as a "violation of the party's political line".

But "General Secretary presented a minority view of the PB which was not ready to see this as anything more than 'not in consonance' of party line," she claimed.

She said in spite of this threat by Basu and Mishra, over two-third CC members spoke how the tactics were "indeed a violation of the party line and how this is badly affecting the party in their own states."

"Yet the final PB note amended the majority note and replaced 'violation' with 'not in consonance'. This was done by putting aside the majority opinion of the CC and in effect this meant that no responsibility would be fixed for the violation of the line," she said without naming anyone.

Noting that several West Bengal leaders were pitching for continuance of alliance with Congress notwithstanding the electoral defeat, Sangwan said their stand was reflection of "how cut off they are from the wish of the masses".

Sangwan said her decision to quit the party yesterday was "purely ideological" even as she maintained she is "extremely emotional" about her ties with All India Democratic Women's Association, an independent Left-inclined body working for women's emancipation, and party workers.

"The political line of the party has been nurtured by the sacrifices of the generations and continues to be nurtured even today by valiant struggles of nameless and ordinary people. I salute their struggles and will do whatever I can to strengthen their struggles," she said.

Sangwan had quit the party yesterday even as the CPI(M) expelled her citing "gross violation" on her part during the CC session. The three-day CC meet concluded on Monday.

The CPI(M) faced a humiliating defeat in the assembly polls in its erstwhile bastion of West Bengal winning only 26 seats in the 294-member House. Adding to its woes, the party was relegated to third position after TMC and Congress and losing the post of opposition leader to its alliance partner.