CPM decides to form rainbow coalition to fight NDA policies

Hyderabad: The Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s highest decision-making body on Monday decided to form a rainbow coalition by roping in all Left forces across the country to wage a unrelenting battle against the neo-liberal policies of BJP-led NDA government.

• Change of guard likely soon
• Sitaram Yechuri, BV Raghavulu, SR Pillai in race for general secretary post

According to sources, some of the leaders suggested to transform this proposed “Left Democratic Front” into an anti-Congress, anti-BJP front by roping in all secular political parties in the coming days. The three-day central committee meeting which began here on Monday is learnt to have witnessed some fireworks as some wanted to air their views on the party’s poor performance in the recent times, but the same was prevented by another group.

However, the top leadership of the CPM said the reported dissent in the party was media creation. “We are formulating strategies to revive the past glory of the party,” said B V Raghavulu. Some say that the reported rift was nothing but fight for succession as the party general secretary Prakash Karat’s term would end this year. The successor to Karat would be elected at the Visakhapatnam Congress scheduled to be held in April.

Party senior leaders said during the three days the members would have full freedom to express their views on how to rejuvenate the party and the reasons for the debacle the party has been suffering in the recent years. According to unconfirmed reports, the party central committee member Sitaram Yechuri had blamed the party’s present leadership for decline in its bastions across the country.

However, Telangana CPM secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram denied it. It is learnt that the names of party seniors such as Sitaram Yechuri, BV Raghavulu and SR Pillai are doing the rounds as the next general secretary of the CPM. However, Raghavulu said he was not in the race for the top post.