Agartala: CPIM National General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday said that his party wants a broader secular unity with the principal objective of defeating the BJP and its “communal” ideology.
Yechury also formally declared that the main opposition party of the North Eastern state sees Pradyot Kishore Debbarman-led TIPRA motha and Congress party as its possible allies for the next elections.
Describing the significance of the ensuing Tripura elections in both National and regional contexts, Yechury said, “We have decided in our state committee meeting that our principal objective will be to defeat the BJP in the next elections. To achieve that, we will seek cooperation from all the secular forces in people’s interest.
In the last five years, the livelihood miseries of people quadrupled. Our goal is to make sure that the balance between diverse communities that inhabit the region and the harmony between them should be maintained”.
The CPIM politburo member also asserted that the CPIM would go with the slogan of restoration of democracy, rule of law and rule of constitution dislodging the reign of terror unleashed by the BJP.
When asked about the party’s electoral decimation in Bengal when the same formula of Cong-CPIM unity played out in the last polls, Yechury said, “The CPIM state committee in Bengal drew critical comments from Central committee because the party decided to go for polls as a political front with Congress and another secular party. A political front indicates that the front will have a common agenda, common manifesto etc. The seat sharing should be on the terms of maximizing the mobilization of anti-BJP or anti-Trinamool vote share”.
According to the CPIM leader, there are three cardinal principles of electoral ties. “Independently CPIM should go stronger, then the Left parties should get a boost after that comes strengthening of Left Democratic forces. We have clearly stated that we shall adopt suitable electoral tactics for the broadest possible mobilization to take on the BJP”, he pointed out.
To a query on whom the party considers as political allies or secular forces, Yechury said, “The state committee has been empowered to hold talks on the electoral understanding. But for us, we see Congress and TIPRA motha as parties who believe in the constitution, and they want to ensure that people can exercise their rights.”
On Greater Tipraland, He said, “We shall talk and assure maximum possible autonomy to the tribal areas. Whatever is possible within the framework of the constitution can be done. We have moved a constitutional amendment for the empowerment of TTAADC while TIPRA is asking for a constitutional solution.”
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CPIM state Secretary Jitendra Chowdhury who was also present at the meeting said that all the opposition parties have fixed their robust target of dethroning the BJP but conclusive talks on seat-sharing are yet to take place. “Everyone has expressed their views. We want that all opposition political parties fight the polls from a respectable position,” said Chowdhury.
Chowdhury also countered Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement of a violence-free state and said, “NCRB data shows Tripura is among the worst sufferer states for political violence and drug menace and Union Home Minister says there is no violence. He should not cheat people this way.”
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