New Delhi, May 20
Outgoing Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee finally found support in the Left Front. Few days after the veteran communist blamed CPM leadership’s narcissistic attitude for its worst-ever electoral loss, the Communist Party of India (CPI) today came out openly in admission of the fact that arrogance did the Left in. In an obvious reference to the CPM, A.B. Bardhan, general secretary of the CPI, said that the communists would have fared better at the hustings had they lied low and been humble.

“Arrogance and high-profile posturing did not augur well for the Left Front. Humility would have done us good,” said Bardhan, voicing the larger view within the party’s national executive which debated the issue during its meet yesterday. In a rather strongly-worded statement issued today, the CPI said, “We emphasise the need for humility and total absence of arrogance in the behaviour and attitude of all Left leaders and activists in relation to the people.” Though balanced in tone and implication, the CPI statement heralds a daring departure from the communist culture of silence in the name of collective responsibility. The CPM Politburo had yesterday conveniently sidestepped the issue and blamed external factors for the party’s defeat.

But the CPI proved honest enough to admit to negative factors that caused it losses, even if it meant ruffling feathers. Tthe party today said, “While Left unity has to be strengthened, we feel that a frank and self-critical review should be carried out into the manner in which the Left Front worked and addressed issues faced by the people.”

The counterpoint could, of course, be that A.B. Bardhan himself was no less high profile when projecting the Third Front as the alternative secular force in India and BSP chief Mayawati as a potential prime ministerial candidate.

The CPI’s statement would certainly open doors in the Left Front for a reconciliation of differences ahead of the first session of 15th Lok Sabha. With most of its tall leaders like Rup Chand Pal, Hannan Mollah, Mohd Salim, among others, no longer in the House, the Left Front would have to figure out how best to work as a “constructive opposition.”

The CPI also today admitted, “Voters did not regard the third alternative projected by the Left and its allies as a viable, stable and realistic option in the given situation. They voted for a stable government particularly when the country is faced with several challenges.”