CPI(M)-CPI(ML) rift over Trinamool approach takes bitter turn

Post their success in Bihar, the Left parties seem to have reached a disagreement in West Bengal ahead of the crucial 2021 Assembly polls, with the CPI(M) and CPI(ML) trading blows over their approach towards Trinamool and whether Mamata Banerjee is a bigger threat than Narendra Modi, writes ETV Bharat's Kolkata Bureau Chief Sumanta Ray Chaudhuri.

Kolkata (West Bengal):The bigger Left unity in the recently concluded Bihar assembly elections, which helped CPI(ML), CPI and CPI(M) to win in 16 assembly seats, has received a major shocker in West Bengal on the issue of "Who is the bigger enemy? BJP or Trinamool Congress?"

Initially, the CPI(ML)- CPI(M) feud on this issue was just theoretical in nature. On one hand, CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury opined that "without defeating Trinamool Congress in West Bengal it is impossible to counter BJP." On the other hand, the CPI(ML) general secretary, Dipankar Bhattacharya felt that "In the entire country, including Bengal, BJP is the principal enemy."

However, that theoretical feud has now taken a nasty turn with the CPI(ML) politburo member, Kavita Krishnan, openly criticising CPI(M) leadership for the latter's attempt to equate Mamata Banerjee and Narendra Modi.

According to her, CPI(M) in Bengal is trying to draw an untrue parallel between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the chief minister Mamata Banerjee. She said that CPI(M)'s "Modibhai and Didibhai" theory has no realistic base.

"CPI(M) is trying to falsely equate Mamata and Modi and this 'Didibhai-Modibhai' of CPI(M) has no realistic base. In reality, Trinamool today is in a position to counter BJP," Krishnan said.

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Krishnan also alleged that CPI(M) is trying to project BJP and Trinamool Congress as the same soul, just as BJP and JD(U) are in Bihar.

"But this projection is nothing but fiction. So CPI(M)'s slogan that BJP and Trinamool are the same does not really have a realistic base. Only a small fraction of CPI(M) believes that opposing Trinamool will automatically mean countering the BJP," said Krishnan.

She also said that CPI(M)'s theory of accusing BJP and Trinamool on the issue of "competitive communalism" is wrong.

"CPI(M) never speaks of competitive Hinduism. Their argument is that while Trinamool is pampering Muslim appeasement, BJP is propagating Hindu fundamentalism. But BJP is actually gaining from this theory of CPI(M)," Krishnan said.

Left Front chairman and CPI(M) politburo member, Biman Bose, however, strongly reacted to Krishnan's statement. According to him, Left Front in West Bengal has identified both BJP and Trinamool as "equally dangerous enemy of the people."

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Without naming Krishnan, Basu said that everyone has the democratic right to air his or her own opinion.

"So such statements are meaningless for the Left Front. None of us is giving importance to such statements," Basu said.

However, Trinamool Congress leadership is treading cautiously over this CPI(M)-CPI(ML) feud despite the fact that the party has reasons to cheer over such differences.

A senior Trinamool leader, on condition of anonymity, said that just a few days back CPI(M) and CPI(ML) were friends in Bihar.

"CPI(M) surely have a political motive behind their soft approach towards Trinamool. Probably the reason is if they can win in a couple of seats after contesting in partnership with Trinamool. In any alliance, all the political parties concerned calculate their own gains. So we will also have to calculate whether any alliance with CPI(ML) will at all be beneficial for us," he said.

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When contacted, Trinamool Lok Sabha member Sougata Roy said that only Mamata Banerjee is the ultimate authority to decide the alliance strategy and give statements on it.

On CPI(ML)'s observation about CPI(M), Roy said: "It is the internal matter of two Left Parties and it would not be right on my part to offer any comment on it."