CPI-M's draft political resolution for 24th Congress stresses more on 'independent line'

"The party should pay more attention to the independent political campaign and mass mobilisation around the political platform of the party. There should be no blurring of our independent identity or diminishing of our independent activities in the name of electoral understanding or alliances," the excerpts of the draft political resolution, a copy of which is available with IANS, read.

As regards maintaining the independent line, the draft resolution had cautiously touched upon the two states of Tripura and West Bengal, where the CPI-M-led Left Front had electoral understandings and seat-sharing arrangements in the past elections.

"A significant increase in the strength of the party requires the rebuilding and expansion of the party and the Left in West Bengal and Tripura. In West Bengal, while conducting mass struggles and movements, special attention should be paid to working among the rural poor and organising them. The party has to focus more on the political and ideological fight against the BJP while opposing both the TMC and BJP," the draft political resolution, as regards the West Bengal perspective, stressed.

On Tripura, the draft political resolution has advised the state unit of the party there to strengthen the grassroots organisation and take up a program which will unite the working people while addressing the special needs and issues of the tribal people.

As regards the national perspective, the draft political resolution has focused on the expansion of influence among the workers in the organised sector in the manufacturing sector and also gives importance to organising contractual workers in the organised sector.

However, the document has also made it clear that the CPI-M will cooperate with INDIA bloc constituents in Parliament, but only on "agreed issues" outside Parliament. It has also made it clear that appropriate political tactics can be adopted only per the above political line to "maximise the pooling of anti-BJP votes".

It has also focused on direct campaigns and struggles on issues of social and caste oppression and gender discrimination. "The struggles against social oppression should be linked to the struggles against class exploitation," the document read.