Secular front will not be hit: CPI

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, OCT. 21. The AIADMK and the TMC continuing to harp on their contrary views on Government formation after the next Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu would not hinder the `consolidation' of the secular front, according to the State CPI.

In a realistic reading, the CPI expects the ``parallel political discourse'' of the AIADMK and TMC - the first asserting its stance on forming the next Government under its leadership and the other raising the ante on power sharing - to continue until Assembly elections are announced.

Though the situation will become clear only in the post-election scenario, sources in the CPI said today that this `conceptual tug-of-war' between AIADMK and TMC on power-sharing will become largely irrelevant, once the poll was notified. Then, only the battle lines will count.

The CPI, reviewing the current political situation in Tamil Nadu at its State Executive which ended in Salem yesterday, has based its assessment on the twin facts of the `mass base' of the AIADMK and the TMC President, Mr. G. K. Moopanar's `strong anti-BJPism', binding the chemistry of the secular front.

While the CPI's State leadership, ahead of the CPI(M), called on the AIADMK leader, Ms. Jayalalitha, after the verdict against her in the TANSI land cases, to reassure their continued support to her, it was also a signal to the TMC that its

``anti-BJPism'' cause was better served from an AIADMK-led platform.

Broadly reflecting these trends, the main political resolution at the CPI's Salem executive laid emphasis on `consolidating' the secular front in Tamil Nadu against the

DMK-BJP combine, particularly when the `Sangh Parivar' intensified their anti-Christian campaign to deflect people's attention from the `swelling opposition' to the BJP-led coalition.

``Nobody speaks of the election or seat-sharing now; the TMC itself has said that it continues to be in the secular front'', CPI sources said, while terming as `premature' the possibility of TMC initiating a `third front' in the State. The TMC, though, will have to take a decision at election time, they argued.

Drawing a parallel with the situation in Bihar before the last Assembly elections, the sources said that the Congress(I) there had fought against Laloo Prasad Yadav even at the hustings. But the post-election scenario changed dramatically, with Congress(I) backing the coalition there, the sources pointed out. The CPI, in other resolutions, has also demanded that the electors' photo identity cards (EPIC) should be enforced in the next Assembly elections, besides having a one-day poll. The party also discussed its preparations for the poll and fund collection.

Meanwhile, the CPI has urged the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to consolidate the electoral rolls in one accessible form. The party has also sought that CEO take steps to post an Electoral Registration Officer or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer at the designated photography centres, to rectify the defects in the voters identity cards then and there.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Move to wind up French school opposed
Next     : TANSI case verdict: CB-CID moves Court of Small
           Causes