CPI(M) to stay away from Cong rally against price hike

The Congress-CPI(M) alliance received a major jolt on Friday with the  latter deciding not to participate in the rally organised by its partner to protest against spiraling price hike on Saturday.

Though Left Front chairman Biman Bose had earlier said that Congress would not be invited to the rally organised by the LF on July 11, following pressure from the Front allies, CPI(M) leaders had said that they would take part in the rally organized by the Congress.

Later, changing the stance the leaders said they might refrain from joining the procession, but the party’s rank and file would join. But taking a U turn again the leaders said neither they nor the rank and file would take part in the rally. Sujan Chakraborty said “We are not joining the rally. There is no hard and fast rule that we will have to join each and every rally organised by Congress.” However, he reiterated that the floor coordination in Assembly would continue.

The pro-alliance CPI(M) leaders were on back foot when the party’s Central Committee declared that the alliance was not in consonance with its decision and asked the politburo to rectify the stand. Party insiders said a question that had cropped up in the party was that if the state leadership had been reprimanded for making the alliance, then why the Central Committee had not taken action against them. Also, why the CC is silent about Sitaram Yechury who has spoken about the alliance, and described it as “people’s alliance.”

They said the meeting between the Politburo and state committee members scheduled to be held in July would be stormy where the state committee leaders will corner the pro tie up lobby. They said it was certain that the alliance would die a natural death shortly.