CPI concern over debacle in Assam, Pondicherry

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MAY 26. The Communist Party of India has viewed with concern the outcome of recent Assembly polls in Assam and Pondicherry, where it drew a blank while taking note of factors that led to the defeat of the Left Front government in Kerala.

At its two-day CPI national executive, which concluded today after discussions on the latest political situation and reviewing of the results of the Assembly polls, the issue is understood to have been taken up and placed before the National Council. The national council began its three-day session today with the general secretary, Mr. A.B. Bardhan, presenting a report on political developments, work report and election review for its deliberations. The council adopted a resolution on Manipur, blaming the BJP and the Samata parties for making a mockery of democracy in the State.

While the CPI, like the other Left parties, had reasons to rejoice for retaining power in West Bengal, the loss of Kerala and failure to win even one seat in Assam and Pondicherry rankled.

Assam was a peculiar case since the CPI, which was part of the Prafulla Kumar Mahanta Government, had to pull out just before the polls after the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) tied up with the BJP. The Left parties, which earlier arrived at an electoral understanding with the AGP, had to strike a new alliance which barely got time to settle. Another reason for such a poor result was the nine per cent swing in favour of the Congress leading to a landslide win for the latter. Similarly in Pondicherry, the CPI failed to win a seat even though it won two in the 1996 polls. Unlike Tamil Nadu, where the Left parties had a tie-up with the AIADMK, the CPI and the Left could not coordinate with other parties which reflected in the results.

In Kerala, the reasons included the coming together of the communal and casteist forces as well as the effect of the crash in prices of agricultural commodities that led to the defeat of the Left Front government.

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Section  : National
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