Sunday, July 17, 2011

Corruption, complacency behind debacle/Karat overcomes NGO allergy: CPM -Jul 18, 2011,

Corruption, complacency behind debacle: CPM


KOLKATA: The CPM on Sunday attributed corruption in administration, failure of the government to push forward with its reforms programme and lack of coordination among various government departments as the reasons behind its poll debacle in Bengal.

At the end of the two-day state committee meeting at its state headquarters, the party admitted that being in power for decades had led to complacency. It also admitted that there were evident lapses in the election campaign and the party had erred in analyzing the outcome. The later, primarily, due to leaders becoming more mechanical and loosing contact with the masses.

It also felt that the activities mostly revolved around government programmes with most party functionaries involved in keeping the government going. Now out of power, the party needs to reposition itself both at political and organisational levels. While it maintained the rise of Trinamool Congress was due to five factors - mobilisation of all reactionary forces, conspiracy, lawlessness, huge funds and media's relentless anti-Left campaign - the meeting also didn't mask its own deficiencies. State secretary Biman Bose said, "To strengthen the organization is our primary task now. Party workers and functionaries need to be active. The prevailing situation is not ever lasting." Party general secretary Prakash Karat said the situation calls for adaptability and reorganization of the ranks."

To begin with, the party will take up the new government's move to "immobilise" the elected rural bodies and bid to push through development through local administration and police. District leaders said this is one area where the government has failed to protect its elected bodies. Most of them felt that the party should take up this issue immediately. Apart from analysing the organizational limitations and the dilution of the party's tactical line, questions have been raised over the stagnation of Left politics all over the country. Some leaders said the party needs to review its organisation structure that is not getting feedbacks from the grassroots.

The organisational deficiencies, the meeting concluded, emanated from lack of connect with the grassroots primarily poor people. It also felt the party has been unable to highlight among people the limitations of working in a federal structure. It had to bear all the blame for non-performance while it should have instead been more vocal in its demand and mobilise people. The vote bank has also changed, leaders felt, so has the aspirations.

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