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An Appeal to the Left Parties

(Below we carry a letter sent by the CC of CPI(ML) Liberation to the Central Committees of CPI, CPI(M), RSP and AIFB)

Dear Comrades,

The Central Committee of our Party met in Delhi from May 18 to 20 to take stock of the political situation arising in the country in the wake of the Eleventh Lok Sabha elections. The present phase of political instability marked on the one hand by an unprecedented erosion of the Congress in most parts of the country and by the rise of the BJP as the single largest party on the other hand calls for a vigorous and principled intervention on the part of the Left.

In this context, our Central Committee hails the stand taken by the CPI(M) Central Committee refusing to participate in any third front government supported by the Congress. The Left's participation in such a government which will obviously be held hostage to all sorts of pulls and pressures from the Congress, especially on the issue of economic reforms, would have confused the very identity of the Left and greatly restricted its political initiative to cope with the challenges of the day.

If the rise of the BJP in this election has generally been on predictable lines, the massive gains it has made in Bihar certainly mark the most disconcerting aspect of this phenomenon. The results in Bihar have clearly exposed the vulnerability of the Janata Dal in the face of a resurgent BJP. It is patently not possible for forces like the Janata Dal and Samajwadi Party to stand up to the ideological and poltical offensive of the BJP beyond a point. The ultimate onus of combating the resurgent rightwing challenge can only be on the Left and stepping up the independent ideological and political role of the Left is the only answer.

The political conduct of the Left in Bihar assumes a crucial significance in this respect. While the Left must clearly demarcate its position from the BJP-Congress brand of opposition and come forward to foil any communal fascist conspiracy in the state, any public impression of the Left condoning or ignoring the very many follies and failures of the JD government in Bihar is bound to cost us dearly. And much as we may dislike it, the BJP can be the only political beneficiary, a danger which has been so clearly underlined by the poll outcome in Bihar. Contrarily, a united assertion of the Left on the basis of a minimum common programme covering the burning issues of the day can gradually turn the tide against BJP.

We hope you share our concern regarding the unfolding situation and also the emphasis we lay on the ideological-political assertion and initiative of the Left as the most important bulwark against the danger of commual fascism and rightwing resurgence in today's changed circumstances. We earnestly hope that all of us in the Left camp will be able to rise to the occasion and meet the challenges of the hour with unity and determination.

Looking forward to hearing from you,
With warm greetings,

(Swadesh Bhattacharya)
On behalf of CC
CPI(ML) Liberation

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