Yechury’s poll strategy: No BJP, no TMC

NEW DELHI: Setting out CPI (M)’s poll strategy, its head Sitaram Yechury said it wanted the defeat of the BJP in 2019-General Election, and ouster of ruling TMC from West-Bengal—a statement aimed at opposition party leaders who want Chief Minister Mamata Banderjee drafted into a possible anti-BJP alliance.

Sitaram Yechury. File photo

Ravi S.Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 16

Setting out CPI (M)’s poll strategy, its head Sitaram Yechury said it wanted the defeat of the BJP in 2019-General Election, and ouster of ruling TMC from West-Bengal—a statement aimed at opposition party leaders who want Chief Minister Mamata Banderjee drafted into a possible anti-BJP alliance.

Yehury’s statement is bound to place opposition parties who want anti-BJP consolidation on every inch of the poll turf in a quandary.

Responding to a direct question, Yechury on Thursday said the CPI (M) categorically said the priority is to defeat the BJP and the TMC.

Although CPI (M)’s antipathy toward TMC—its nemesis in West-Bengal—is well known, Yechury’s unqualified assertion at a time when the opposition spectrum is trying desperately to float an anti-BJP axis assumes significance.

The Left parties’ stand is that West-Bengal Chief Minister and TMC head Mamata Banerjee has a tacit understanding with BJP and helped it to expand footprints in the state. The TMC has decided to organise a rally in Kolkata on January 19, ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections. Banerjee has been quoted saying that almost all the opposition parties have confirmed of their participation.

The rally will be show of strength by Banerjee, who has been putting herself centre-stage in anti-BJP mobilizations—both in Parliament and outside. She has been meeting leaders of opposition parties to propel formation of an anti-BJP front.

The catch, however, is that TMC has simultaneously adopted rigid line of not entering into seat adjustment with opposition parties for the 2019-General Election in her state.

In a rally in July this year, Banerjee asserted that the TMC will win all the 42 Lok seats on its own in West-Bengal—a fait accompli that sent opposition parties a clear message: they have to support it if they want to beat the BJP.

TMC’s politics is rooted in pragmatism. It wants to win sizeable number of Lok Sabha seats to be in a dominant position to determine formation of next government at the Centre in the eventuality of BJP performing badly.