CPI(M) Polit Bureau Discusses The CMP

B Prasant

MEETING on May 25 at the Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan in Kolkata, the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) thoroughly discussed the Common Minimum Programme of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).  Addressing a very crowded media briefing later, CPI(M) general secretary, Harkishan Singh Surjeet said that the points that were raised on the CMP, on economic and other issues, would be further discussed in the meeting of the Left Front in Delhi on May 26 and then the Congress would be kept appraised about the Left point of view on the CMP.

Surjeet also informed the media about the agreement with the Congress proposal communicated earlier to the general secretary about the nomination of veteran CPI(M) MP Somnath Chatterjee to the post of the Speaker.  Surjeet made it quite clear that there was a point of view as to whether the CPI(M) could spare Chatterjee given the fact that he “has shaped as a leader of the Left group in the Lok Sabha and is a good speaker.”  “In the end,” in Surjeet’s words, the PB decided to spare his services for the post of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.”

Responding to questions from the media, Surjeet said that the CPI(M) was against the inclusion of both defeated candidates and of tainted persons, in the cabinet of ministers.  He said that the choice of the lone Muslim League candidate from Kerala to the post of a minister did make for a communal touch to the process of choosing ministers.

“Although we are not part of the government and the decision is not to join it,” said the veteran CPI(M) leader, “there are mechanisms like discussions etc., to impose a degree of control on the goings on of the UPA governance.”  Surjeet’s straightforward response to the likely election of Sonia Gandhi to the post of the chairperson of the UPA coordination committee was that it was “their matter and nor are we in the UPA.”

“There was no discussion made on any alternative coordination committee although the issue of formation of a steering committee may come up in the future,” was how the CPI(M) general secretary put it before signing off.