In political and electoral campaigns for the West Bengal state assembly elections in 2021, it would be suicidal to spearhead the main attack at the ruling Trunamool Congress, its expanding corruption and nepotism notwithstanding. ‘No task is bigger than an all-out effort to prevent the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-dictated BJP to come to power and all other issues are secondary’ – the crux of stand taken by the state panel inferred.

This is reminiscent of the call of the Communist Party of India in the elections to the state assembly and the Lok Sabha in 1967 when the anti-ruling Congress votes were to be split between the newly-formed Communist Party of India (Marxist)- led United Left Front and the People’s United Left Front, led by Bangla Congress and CPI. While the CPI (M) was the split-away group from CPI, the Bangla Congress comprised dissidents of WB Pradesh Congress.

Unlike CPI (M), the CPI leadership could sense that had the two fronts put up common candidates, defeat of Congress would have been highly probable. Which was why leaders like Sen and Lahiri used to appeal to voters in their poll speeches, “ We ask you fervently to cast your votes in favour of our candidates. Alternatively, don’t choose Congress candidates and cast your ballots for the ULF nominees.”

Sadly true, CPI(M) targeted CPI ( ‘Dange clique’, a coinage to spill venom against CPI chairman, Sripad Amrit Dange) as the main enemy. The CPI cashed in on the tactic and won five parliamentary seats equally with CPI(M) and 16 assembly seats .. The Congress that won 127 out of 280 seat failed to return to power, proving the CPI line right.

The Naxalite party which gradually attuned itself to parliamentary frame albeit in an independent and distinctive way (like preventing booth capture in Bihar) after it came out of underground politics adopted an all-out opposition to RSS and BJP at its last party congress at Mansa in Punjab in 2019 in both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary ( mainly mass movements) arena

In his speech, inaugurating the delegate session, Bhattacharyya explained, emulating the Popular Front line in Europe to stop Fascism from marching ahead, that it was the time for all anti-BJP parties for a one-versus-one fight against the fascist designs of RSS and BJP. Thereafter, he repeatedly appealed to the official Left not to treat BJP and Trinamool Congress as equal threats.

Bhattacharyya in all the interviews to national newspapers and TV news channels after the party’s spectacular performance of winning 12 out of 19 seats the party had contested in the recently-held Bihar state assembly elections said more than once that the backward state had slapped a lesson to all democracy-loving parties that most of the Indian people look forward to an all-out unity against the Fascist BJP and its allies. The people ‘bitterly experience the six years of economic, social and cultural oppression plus a menacing communal polarisation’, said a central committee member of the party. Taking a potshot at CPI(M), he told IPA, “ People are misled by a false consciousness that to dislodge the TMC government is a higher priority than defeating the BJP in West Bengal as if Fascism is milder in the state than the rest of India”.

The state committee, attended by Bhattacharyya, asserted in no uncertain terms that appeals be made to the electorate, ‘whichever party among non-BJP has chances of winning any seat should be voted for.’ The state panel has decided to continue trade union, peasant and other struggles with the Left Front in West Bengal but step up the campaign against exaggerating the threat from the TMC vis-à-vis BJP. .The party will not approach the LF for any seat adjustment in the polls. But the party is of the view that seat wise, the party – among, Congress and TMC – which has better chance to defeat the saffron challenger should be voted for.

CPI (ML) Liberation chief has been repeatedly stating that the TMC and the saffron party must not be clubbed in the same bracket Nothing is self-destructive than the perception, prescribed by the Left Front, led by CPI(M) and the Congress that they have to first deal with the TMC as the "bigger threat" and consider BJP as a secondary threat in West Bengal, he added. .The CPI (M) lacks the "anti-BJP thrust" needed to counter the "divisive force" in West Bengal, the CPI (ML) Lib laments. (IPA Service)