Page 27 - English Tehelka Issue 6 - March 31, 2018

and Tripura but the party has • Smaller home Manik Sarkar, Tripura’s
limited itself as a state-level chief minister for 20 years, has moved
force by not intervening at the into a one-room home
national stage, and not adopt-
ing a broader vision for the big
fight is immature for the party polarity at the state level in Ker-
struggling with “ideological ala, Tripura and perhaps West
concerns”. Bengal too might make it easier
The Tripura verdict has for the CPI(M) and the Congress
come as a major lesson to come closer together nation-
and should be considered a ally in the wake of preventing the
defeat of stubborn ideological BJP from winning the Lok Sabha
purism. It is the defeat of the elections once more in 2019. Poli-
strategy of trying to take on tics is changing in the South. For
a mountain alone; the defeat example, Telugu Desam Party is
of the possibility of a united feeling marginalised because PM
Opposition. Not only CPI(M) Modi failed to keep the promises
but the whole opposition rep- he made to Chandrababu Naidu.
resenting different interests A regional party like TDP could be
is in danger of losing their rel- aligned with to cobble together
evance. If the CPI(M) can seek a larger united front. However,
forgiveness from the people the Tripura election result is a
of West Bengal then it should reminder of the limits of alliance
also try to forgive Congress for building. If the CPI(M) is weak-
its failures. It must shed its in- ening, it is the Congress which is
• Party time also a society free of political and Left-ruled state. Manik Sarkar had there are chances that BJP might hibitions against the Congress for the The Tripura verdict likely to ask what it will gain by ty-
Tripura BJP communal violence under the Left nurtured the insurgency-affected face debilitation in Karnataka, greater cause of this country as they ing up with the Left rather than the
vows to restrict Front government. With increased state to normalcy and economic sta- Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh neither have the individual strength has come as a other way around.
enrolment for levels of literacy and the spread of bility but after that could not catch which won’t be covered by this gain. nor the resources to take on their major lesson for The CPI(M) has lost in Tripura but
six months to educational opportunities, the aspi- up well on the economic front. If But we now know that Left is not rivals. The arguments put forward by it still was the single largest party
stop criminals ration of the tribals, particularly the Kerala could do so much in so little going to be an important player in those against the idea of a broader the Left and should with a dip in vote share of just 3
from entering youth, increased manifold. But the time, Tripura could also have done fighting Fascism and Kerala being coalition even after Tripura results be considered a per cent as compared to previous
party government failed to provide them the same. As things stand now, the an exception, it evidently cannot emphasises that these theoreti - elections, which means that the
the lifestyle they have now started CPI(M) or the Left Front is confined win a straight contest with the BJP cians lack utmost practicality. If the defeat of stubborn Party has been defeated, and not de-
desiring. However, within the given to the single state of Kerala. anymore. The constituencies of the party is refusing to have an electoral stroyed. It’s high time they increase
structure of political economy it As per public opinion, bagging Left are not ideologically aligned to understanding with the Congress, ideological purism their political strength and mass
was not feasible for any govern- 35 seats in Tripura wont have any the Left or betrothed to vote Com- it shouldn’t expect a united fight base, so as to provide a viable alter-
ment to meet those aspirations. impact on national politics since munism as it used to be earlier in against the BJP. The current line of tions, uproot the oppressor. But for native national leadership. Addition-
There was indeed the problem East India. A new program has to be CPI(M) benefits none other than the this to succeed, the Left needs to ally, it is time for the theologists to
of unemployment, but the tiny state adopted, and a new state like Bihar BJP and the RSS. be in a position to lead. If the Left is step aside and let mass leaders take
of Tripura wasn’t the only state af- or Tamil Nadu with a strong com- Modi taunted the Left party after serious about the future of India’s over. Learning from its experiences,
fected by it. We must not forget The BJP aligned munist history has to be focused Tripura victory by saying “Sun is red politics and democracy, it needs to unless the CPI(M) starts to think po-
the fact that we are living in times upon for the growth of the party. when it sets, turns saffron when it leave no stones unturned in trying litically rather than ideologically, the
when our Prime Minister consid- with a terrorist The CPI(M) being down to one state rises”. However, he didn’t realise the to unite the Opposition. It is impor- trend in Tripura will eventually lead
ers ‘Pakoda selling’ as aspirational outfit which is historically the worst situation fact that every rising Sun sets in the tant to note that Prakash Karat in an to the West Bengal path. The attempt
employment. There is another ever. A tribal sectarian political end. In these adverse political and interview to The Hindu was skepti- for a wider coalition is not only
aspect which cannot be ignored operates from outfit known as INPT, which was social circumstances, there is fertile cal of the fact that there will ever be necessary for putting a halt to BJP’s
and that is the limitations of a tiny ally of Congress in 2013, wanted to ground for the Left parties to bounce an understanding between SP and ascent but also for strengthening
backward state government with Bangladesh. It join hands with CPI(M) this time back to relevance. The Left doctrine BSP. However, the recent political future of the Left and the country’s
a hostile Central government in surely does not but the former refused their offer. states that with the rise in discrimi- understanding between Samajwadi democracy. Otherwise the future of
the neoliberal era, though that’s The CPI(M) exclusively fought elec- nation and exploitation, the society Party, BSP and all the Left parties to the Communist Party of India (Marx-
another debate. But yes, Tripura had go well with the tion with Left ideology, without any will be split into two groups — the support the SP candidate for Gora- ist) is going to be scripted as Commu-
definitely become a bit rusted when preaching of alliance. It’s understandable that oppressor and the oppressed. The khpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha con- nist Party Of Kerala.
it came to the standard of living in Congress has been CPI(M)’s main numerically larger oppressed will stituencies debunks his myth. The
comparison with Kerala, another nationalism opponent in West Bengal, Kerala then unite and through their agita- consistent sharpening left-right letters@tehelka.com

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