People's Democracy

CPI(M) Bengal State Committee

On Lok Sabha Election Results

Below is the full text of the statement issued by the West Bengal state committee of CPI(M) after its meeting in Kolkata on June 13, 2009

THE 13th session of the West Bengal state committee of CPI(M) was held on June 11-12, 2009. The main agenda of this meeting was to discuss the results of the 15th Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal and the future tasks in the post election period. The general secretary of the Party, Prakash Karat and Polit Bureau members Sitaram Yechury and S R Pillai were present in the meeting. The meeting was presided over by Benoy Konar.

According due respect towards the mandate of the people, the state committee deeply analysed the political, organisational as well as the administrative reasons behind the election results. Drawing lessons from the election results, the state committee has decided to take up comprehensive rectification programmes on all fronts.

In the elections, the Left parties took the initiative to form an electoral understanding with non-Congress, non-BJP parties. However, the Third Front could not gain the confidence of the people. The attempt to unite all democratic and patriotic forces on the basis of an anti-imperialist ideological political stand in order to meet the electoral challenge was not very successful. In the absence of a credible alternative force to meet the challenges of communalism and terrorism, the people voted for the Congress for a stable government. Some initiatives taken by the UPA government under the pressure of the Left also helped the Congress. All these factors affected West Bengal along with the other states in the country.

In our state, all kinds of divisive anarchist forces along with the ultra-left and ultra-right reactionary forces forged an alliance under the leadership of the Trinamool Congress centering on the issues of Singur and Nandigram. The electoral alliance between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress provided further fillip to this.

The state committee has opined that the Party�s organisational weaknesses have been reflected in the election results. Unprincipled activities, lack of mass contact and weaknesses in building up movements on a consistent basis, have all played their part in denting the support of the Party among the people. The image of the Party has been damaged. The state committee has called for serious initiatives to rectify the shortcomings. In spite of huge attacks against the Party, we have managed to get the support of over 1 crore 85 lakh people in the state. A total of 42 comrades have been martyred since the elections were announced. After the declaration of results these attacks have increased manifold. Through the process of self-introspection, there is an urgent need to strengthen the Party and counter such attacks.

The state committee also opined that some neglect and sluggishness have crept into the work related directly to the people, particularly those in the interests of the poor and working masses. There are shortcomings in the functioning of the government, panchayats and municipalities with regard to maintaining proper class outlook. There have also been attempts to block the implementation of every programme of the government over the last two years. As a result, the implementation of pro-people programmes of the government has been adversely affected.

The state committee has said that the divisive forces are receiving support of the reactionaries both within the country and outside. There are attempts to create divisions within the poor people by raking up divisive issues. This divisive agenda needs to be resisted with a proper class perspective.

As far as the immediate tasks in the post election situation is concerned, the state committee has said that attempts are being made to mount large scale attacks on the Party, the Left Front government and the people thereby creating an atmosphere of anarchy and terror in the state. The Party has to resist this attack by forging even greater unity, both at the political as well as organisational level.

The aim of the opposition is to create divisions within the democratic and working people. The task is to unite the people by breaking these divisions. The Party has to reach the people as their true friend. The work for the poor and the working masses should be given more priority in the tasks of the Party, mass organisations and the administration. Immediate and bold steps should be taken to stop non-communist activities and behaviour at every level of the Party.

A total of 53 comrades participated in the discussion in the state committee. Summing up the discussion, Biman Bose identified certain programmes as immediate tasks. In order to protect democracy and democratic rights of the people, we should take to the streets immediately. The attempt to create anarchy in the state has to be resisted by organising the people. State wide movements will be organised on the issues of price rise, universal public distribution system, providing BPL cards to all poor families, changing the centre defined BPL criteria, expediting the process of granting SC/ST certificates and implementation of the rural electrification programme.

Participating in the discussion, general secretary Prakash Karat said that while the third front has not been acceptable to the people in this election, the necessity of creating a third alternative has not ended. Although the present situation is one of adversity, the Party and the Left will be able to overcome it.

(INN)