Comment

With the Congress unveiling an unabashedly populist budget this year, there are murmurs again about the imminent fall of the Manmohan Singh government and the possibility of a November general election. CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, the Left’s main interlocutor with the Congress, says its unlikely unless the government goes ahead with the nuclear deal. At the same time, he tells Arati R Jerath, the Left remains committed to the creation of a third alternative and will strive for a non-Congress, non-BJP government at the Centre in the next general elections.

Why are we seeing a renewed round of friction between the Left and the Congress?
There is nothing unusual in this. The usual areas of disagreement are there. We continue to have differences with the government on what they call reform issues like pension fund, retail trade, insurance, the nuclear deal. As long as the government does notpush through proposals on which we disagree, there is no problem.
There is a perception in political circles that the Left will withdraw support after the budget is passed.

Why should we withdraw support?
Our support is based on the common minimum programme (CMP). Our disputes are on issues outside the CMP. As long as the government adheres to the agreed programme, there will be no shift in our position. The uncertainty is from their side, not ours.

As the next general elections draw closer, the Left and the Congress will have to extricate themselves from the current arrangement. How will this happen?
There is nothing to be extricated from. Let’s look at the evolution of this arrangement. Our objective during the 2004 elections was to have a third alternative. But the results turned out differently and we had to make a choice. Our dominant motive at that time was to stop the communal forces. There was no way out for us but to support a UPA government, based on the CMP. When the present government ceases to exist, our arrangement will also cease to exist. In the coming elections, our effort will again be to try for a third alternative. It will be a policy alternative, not merely an electoral front. So our objectives remain the same, to build a third alternative and to isolate the communal forces.

Has the process of distancing started?
The distance is same as always. It has neither reduced nor increased.

Have you decided who your partners will be in the third alternative you want to build?
We will work all this out in our party congress in March. There are three important issues for us. One is the struggle against communal forces. The second is the struggle against those aspects of economic policies that are anti-people. The third is against India becoming a junior partner to US imperialism. In other words, maintaining the independence of our foreign policy. We’ll have an arrangement with all parties that are willing to uphold these three tenets.

What’s your take on the general buzz about a November election?
The timing of the elections depends entirely on the Congress. It’s their call, not ours.

How do you see the emerging political scenario?
There is a serious effort by the BJP to stage a comeback. A lot depends on the outcome of the assembly elections that will be held at the end of the year. Those results are important because they will be an indicator of what is in store for us in the general elections.

Do you foresee gains for the regional and smaller parties?
The Congress and the BJP want a bi-polar situation in which they will be the core around which other parties will collect. We don’t subscribe to this view. We see room for a third pole developing around regional parties that are anti-BJP and also against the economic policies of the Congress. This is important for India’s future because we believe that people are looking for something other than a Congress-led or BJP-led arrangement.

What about CPI(M)? You seem to be beset with problems, both in Kerala and Bengal.
There is nothing abnormal in this. Within the party, there has always been healthy disagreement but once a decision is taken, everyone falls in line. There are problems in Kerala. The party congress will resolve them.

In all likelihood, the Left will not be able to repeat its 2004 tally next time. Won’t this be a blow since it will reduce your role in the next Lok Sabha?
The Left will always be a force that cannot be ignored. How important we will be next time will depend on the post-electoral arithmetic.

Is there a possibility of the Left again supporting a Congress-led government ?
Our primary objective is a third alternative government. Failing that, we will support an arrangement that will keep the communal forces away.