India: Left, Centre and right

(July 09, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The withdrawal of support by the Communist parties to the UPA government has apparently landed the State units of the Left outfits, and perhaps the other parties in the rainbow coalition of the DPA, in a catch 22 situation.

The DMK, which left the Congress in a dilemma when it showed the exit doors to the PMK from the DPA recently, is now caught at the crossroads.

For, the CPI and the CPI-M, which are no more a part of the UPA, are very much a part and parcel of the DPA in Tamilnadu, where Congress too is an important partner.

Communists confused

Sources in the CPI-M said that they had not taken any decision to withdraw their outside support extended to the DMK government.

However, they felt that it would be difficult to contest the elections again with the DMK, a partner in the Congress-led UPA.

CPI State secretary D Pandian reflecting the confusion, spoke in vague and uncertain terms. ‘The party would discuss the issue and take a decision at an appropriate time.’

He also said that a decision on continuing ties with the DMK would be that of party’s central leadership. ‘It is an all-India issue. A decision will be made during our national executive meet at Delhi on 12 and 13 July.’

The DMK with a strength of 95 legislators in the Assembly is supported by the Congress (35), the CPI-M (9) and the CPI (6).

However, even if the Left withdraws its support, the DMK could survive with the help of the Congress. But it could have an impact in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, as the PMK too is not there in the alliance.

DMK delays

Despite the Left parties’ withdrawal of support to the UPA government, Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi has said there is still time left for an amicable solution.

‘Even now, there is time for saving the nation’s unity, integrity and sovereignty. This is my appeal to all concerned’, he told reporters on Tuesday in Chennai, when asked for his comments on the Left parties’ withdrawing support to the UPA government.

‘The country’s unity and integrity is more important than the prestige of political parties’, Karunanidhi said..

He said Karat spoke to him and informed him about Left parties’ decision to withdraw support to the government. ‘I told him that let bygones be bygones. Let us not give room for communal forces. Karat told me that he entirely agreed with me.’

Regretting that his efforts to iron out differences between Congress and Left parties on Indo-US nuclear deal could not succeed, he said ‘I was very particular that the stability of UPA government should not be hurt at any cost due to the nuclear deal.’

Benefit for BJP

Accusing the Left of having ‘dilly dallied’ over their decision to withdraw support to the UPA government due to ‘divisions’ within, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Tuesday said the government should seek a vote of confidence immediately.

‘Jyoti Basu and Buddadeb Bhattacharya are not prepared to face the polls in view of recent failures in local body elections in that state. The Left parties in Kerala are also not for early elections. They are not sure of the electoral position,’ he said.

Asserting that the Left’s decision to withdraw support was a belated one, he said the Communist parties for their part would have welcomed it, had it been a deal signed with China, instead of the US.

Referring to the crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, he said that President’s rule be imposed in the state, now that Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has resigned. The state should be completely insulated from terrorists’ threat.
- Sri Lanka Guardian