CPI sceptical of TMC initiative

By M. R. Venkatesh

CHENNAI, APRIL 20. The CPI in Tamil Nadu sees a `bright spot' in the Congress(I) leadership diluting its Pachmarhi stance on coalitions, to pave way for a broad-based Congress- inclusive and Left-backed formations against the BJP, but is not sure whether TMC can orchestrate the alternative front symphony in the State.

``We cannot predict anything now'', CPI sources told TheHindu today. The TMC president, Mr. G. K. Moopanar being authorised by his party's executive a few days back to take the initiative to form a political front of secular and Left parties to take on the BJP-DMK looks more like a ``venture'' at this point of time, sources said.

Asserting that the Left was with the TMC, the sources, however, pointed out that the ground realities in Tamil Nadu were such that ``only the AIADMK can lead the alternative front''.

The TMC including the Left parties in its proposed Front, constituted an advancement in broad-basing the secular front.

Nevertheless, the TMC, having settled for a `coordination' with the TNCC(I), could not wish away certain other ``deciding variables'' in a general election, the sources said, referring to the ``MGR vote-bank'' being still with Ms. Jayalalitha despite the shake-up in the AIADMK's organisational structure.

Also, the well-established two-party system in the State (DMK versus AIADMK) was yet to be dented despite quite a few caste- based political parties like the PMK upping their stakes in the State's polity, the sources contended.

Even in the recent three Assembly by-elections, the TMC had only extended support to the AIADMK-led front after various party leaders, including Ms. Jayalalitha had made an appeal to it to support their (AIADMK's) candidature, the sources said.

As things stood now, they said, ``it is for the AIADMK to decide whether they want to form an independent Government in the event of a win in the next Assembly elections, or a coalition or support from outside.''

Though Mr. Moopanar had said in Salem that the AIADMK was already a part of ``our front'' and was supporting it in Pondicherry, the CPI said it was still too early to say whether there will be a ``solid front'' of all parties against the DMK-BJP or merely ``seat adjustment with the AIADMK in a position to apportion seats so that the anti-DMK votes are not split.''

What the CPI clearly sees as flowing from the Pondicherry experiment is the Congress(I) shedding its unbending attitude against coalitions. This for the former is a positive factor in strengthening its (CPI's) ties with the Congress(I).

``We are not opposed to the Congress(I); only the CPI(M) still has some reservations because of its vulnerable position in West Bengal amidst Trinamool Congress leader, Ms. Mamta Banerjee seeking to bunch together a strong anti-CPI(M) front there,'' the sources said.

The CPI(M) also had difficulties in Kerala where it was directly pitted against the Congress(I). Yet, the latest signals from the Marxist camp are mixed with the Kerala Chief Minister, Mr. E. K. Nayanar sharing a platform in New Delhi with Mrs. Sonia Gandhi in a `dharna' to protest the Centre's subsidy cuts, the sources said, while also adverting to the CPI(M) supporting the Congress(I)-RJD Ministry in Bihar from the outside.

The political matrix in Tamil Nadu was, nonetheless, different. Sans the DMK-BJP led front, no other party in the opposite camp, barring the AIADMK, was ``practically'' in a position to stake a claim for power here, the CPI sources argued.

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