CPM puts stamp on Sitaram Yechury's pragmatic politics

Reflecting a pragmatic approach, the CPI(M) not only unanimously re-elected Sitaram Yechury as its general secretary on Sunday but also subtly changed the language of its official resolution opening the way for having an electoral understanding with the Congress in 2019.

As the party appeared united, cementing stark ideological differences between its orthodox and liberal flanks, at the end of five day 22nd party Congress in Hyderabad, newly elected Yechury announced the "primary objective" of the party was to ensure "ouster" of RSS/ BJP led government.

Indicating his victory in making the party change its stiff position, a visibly relieved Yechury said,"This is the Congress of unity, of determination..."The primary objective is to ensure that RSS/BJP is ousted from government. For that we have decided that at the time of election appropriate tactics will be employed in order to maximise the polling of anti-BJP votes in accordance with the political lines we have decided today."

A similar proposal put forward by Yechury was defeated at party's central committee meeting in Kolkata earlier in January this year. The shift indicates Yechury's increasing strength in the party that is facing serious challenges in the electoral politics and has been reduced to power in just one state of Kerala after losing Tripura.

The earlier official draft, backed by Prakash Karat, had said the party should unite all secular democratic forces "without having an understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress party". But the amended document says the party can unite secular democratic forces "without having a political alliance with the Congress party", thus keeping the doors open for an electoral understanding.

Yechury's re-election to general secretary's post was approved by the party's newly-elected 95-member central committee. The 65-year-old leader had taken over as general secretary of the CPI(M) from Prakash Karat in the 21st party congress, which was held in Visakhapatnam, in 2015.

Several names were being discussed in party circles as Yechury's successor in the run up to the big event, which began on April 18. Former Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar, politburo member Brinda Karat and secretary B V Raghavulu were among the possible contenders, party sources had said.

EARLIER DRAFT VS AMENDED DOCUMENT

• The earlier official draft, backed by Prakash Karat, had said the party should unite all secular democratic forces “without having an understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress party”.  
   
• But the amended document says the party can unite secular democratic forces “without having a political alliance with the Congress party”, thus keeping the doors open for an electoral understanding.