[Marxistindia] Polit Bureau communique

[news from the cpi(m)]

                                                            May 19, 2009


Press Statement


The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New
Delhi on May 18, 2009. It has issued the following statement:


The 15th Lok Sabha elections have resulted in the success of the
Congress and its allies and they are in a position to form the
government. The Congress party has won 61 more seats than the 2004
elections and has got an increased vote share of around 3 per cent
according to provisional figures. The BJP has suffered a comprehensive
defeat after failing for the second successive time in its bid to come
to power with its allies. The BJP tally has come down by 22 seats and
its vote share has fallen by around 2.9 per cent. Thus the loss suffered
by the BJP vote share has more or less gone to the Congress. It should
be noted that both the parties together have polled less than 49 per
cent of the vote just like in the 2004 elections.


Some of the measures adopted by the Congress-led UPA government which
stood the Congress in good stead were steps like the NREGA, the Forest
Tribal Act and other social welfare measures which were pushed through
under Left pressure.


The Congress party also gained more support amongst the minorities and
sections of secular minded people who were keen to ensure that the BJP
does not make a comeback. 


The BJP has been rejected by the people as it could not offer anything
beyond its communal agenda combined with rightwing economic policies
which the people had already spurned in 2004. The rabid communal
rhetoric of the likes of Varun Gandhi and Narendra Modi dominated its
election campaign.


The Left parties had allied with certain non-Congress, non-BJP parties
in various states. This was required so that a secular electoral
alternative emerged. However, these alliances forged in some states on
the eve of the elections were not seen by the people as a credible and
viable alternative at the national level.


The serious reverses suffered by the CPI(M) and the Left parties in West
Bengal and Kerala are of deep concern. The CPI(M) has lost 25 sitting
seats from these two states. The CPI(M) has won 16 seats with a vote
share of 5.52 per cent which is marginally less than the 5.66 per cent
it got in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. There should be a serious
examination of the reasons for these reverses. Both national and state
specific factors are responsible for the poor performance. A
self-critical review will be conducted by the concerned state committees
and the Central Committee which should form the basis for corrective
steps. The Party will make all out efforts to regain the support and
confidence of those sections of the people who have been alienated.


The Polit Bureau congratulated the people of Tripura for giving a
massive victory to the two CPI(M)-Left Front candidates for the Lok
Sabha. It is remarkable that the Left Front could establish a lead in
all the 60 assembly segments of the state. 


The CPI(M) and the Left parties will work as a responsible opposition in
parliament. The country is faced with serious economic difficulties
which have a direct bearing on the people's livelihood and well being.
The new government has to address this issue urgently and squarely. The
CPI(M) will be vigilant in defending the interests of the people. It
will work for strengthening the unity of the Left parties and will
continue the cooperation with other secular parties in the opposition.

end