Political experts got yet another hint of a mid-term poll on Friday, with the CPI(M) weighing its options and approach on Left?s response if the UPA continues to negotiate with IAEA on 123 agreement.
Hardliners prevailed in the politburo meeting that began in Kolkata on Friday.They were steadfast in their contention that it would be suicidal for the party to help the UPA operationalise the nuclear deal.
Discussions were also there on whether the 19 th party congress, scheduled to take place next March at Coimbatore, should be postponed, given the likelihood of mid-term polls. The moderates cited the regrouping of the BJP using communal issues such as the Ramar Setu to press their case against forcing a mid term poll on the nation.
Maintaining that the Left?s support to the UPA was to check the BJP from coming to power, moderate leaders argued in the politburo that a critical decision like withdrawal of support should not be taken in a hurry. They pointed out that the BJP had already started to focus on issues like Ramar Setu and Sachar report to ?communalise? and divide the voter.
Sources maintained that a majority of members supported the hardline view and that a joint decision on nuclear deal will be taken after the discussions in both the politburo and the central committee. The central committee meeting will begin on Saturday.
The hardliners also laid emphasis on the opposition to US imperialism as a major ideological factor against the deal. Though the moderates were in agreement with this point, they argued that the party leadership should take some more time to convince the government that the deal is harmful and continue the ongoing discussions using the most of the Left-UPA mechanism.
The central committee meeting held in last August had assigned the politburo to take necessary actions on the nuclear issue.
Talking to reporters in the midst of the meeting, senior CPI(M) politburo member MK Pandhe said that his party will take a unanimous decision on the nuclear issue.
?Everything has been discussed and I am sure we will take a unanimous decision,? Pandhe said. Apart from the nuke deal, the politburo, in a statement, condemned the repression on peaceful protests in Myammar by the military junta.
The Indian government should utilise all political and diplomatic channels to impress upon the military government in that country to cease the repression, and to initiate talks for a democratic transition, the statement said.
