What the country needs from CPM

How can the Communists aspire to reach the top? Present conditions suit them. There are problems at the level of farmers, at the level of youth due to non-availability of the jobs. Women are under stress due to insecure status. Several other social issues haunt the middle class. Party can make use of all these. Sitaram Yechury has all the qualities of a charismatic leader

There is a happy moment in the CPM as Sitaram Yechury is appointed as the new General Secretary. Sadly a party which once had a strong sway over the common people is now reckoned as a spent force. After the collapse of USSR on 25th December 1991, the CPM party failed to reconcile with the changes. It could not appreciate the changes which new development force was destined to bring at the global level. Within India its adverse impact was never estimated by the party. During the first decade of globalisation in India, the political situation in the country was fluid. The party had golden time since its inception to share the political power.

First time, a great Communist leader Indrajit Gupta (CPI) was appointed as Home Minister. A great blunder was caused when Jyoti Basu was disallowed to assume the top political position of the country. This was a historical blunder. Party was wrapped in the ideological stiffness, a wrapper which yielded no results. A chance to present a viable alternative at the political level at the Centre was lost. The major understanding from this action shows that party was living in a dream land, that political fluidity will continue and country will live with the thoughts of socialism. In fact, non-appreciation of reality proved costlier to the party. Communists got themselves confined within their boundaries, that was workers movements in a capitalist-factory system. Samajwadi Party-like organizations expanded their base. They attracted the minorities, worked for the cause of farmers, looked the problems of young ones. They appeared better choice whereas communists lost the ground even in their strong areas, West Bengal.

Thus to remain within the domain of industrial relations proved a mistake. The Communists could not understand that they had no audience among young ones. They also failed to understand that their only identity was that once their ideology had ruled the half world. They also forgot that political power emerges from the ground work. Look Kejriwal’s rise. He worked at the local level. He outclassed the BJP even during its glorious days. Communists talked about workers but lived in comfort zone. No relations with the common masses was attempted to be established at the national level. They worked in pockets. Result is there for everyone to see.

How can they aspire to reach the top?

Present conditions suit them. There are problems at the level of farmers, at the level of youth due to non-availability of the jobs. Women are under stress due to insecure status. Several other social issues haunt the middle class. Party can make use of all these.

New change in leadership is welcome. The party needs to adopt following line of action: Not to be too rigid in ideological matter and be flexible; Attract young ones by raising their issues; Attract minorities by looking at their specific problems; and Do not raise unnecessary issues as demand for reservation in private sectors, a demand which distances young ones from the party Sitaram Yechury has all the qualities of a charismatic leader. The role of Communists is crucial in the Indian democracy. They must but try to refashion themselves by being a modernised and active party.They need to survive as globalisation now shifts to a phase of post globalistaion and sharp neo liberal order. The major point is that poor, farmers, deprived people need them.

(Countercurrents.org)

By Vivek Kumar Srivastava