Karat’s plan

“The political tactical line stresses, first and foremost, the need for strengthening the independent role of the CPI(M) and developing it as an all-India force through campaigns and struggles,” says Karat.

Karat goes on to list the three essential components spelt out by the party congress for forming a platform for the third alternative, “They are pro-people economic measures, provision for social welfare measures, and independent social policy.” Such a platform has to be uncompromisingly anti-communal, he says.

According to Karat, there has been a 13.18 per cent increase in party membership between the 18th party congress and the recent one. The membership of the organisation has increased by 25.67 per cent. “However, this is not sufficient for the party to become a strong all-India force,” he says and adds that the party congress has set out concrete steps for expanding the party and for developing a mass organisation.

Only Third Front

An editorial says that the future of India and its people can only be secure if the current set of Government policies is revised. According to it, the struggle for a better livelihood cannot be achieved unless unity and integrity is protected and strengthened. “The unity and integrity of India can be achieved only by strengthening the bond of commonality that runs through this rich diversity. Any effort to impose uniformity — religious, linguistic, ethnic and cultural — upon this diversity will only strengthen the centrifugal force that can destroy the integrity and unity of the country,” the editorial says.

According to it, the trajectory of neo-liberal economic reforms pursued by the ruling Indian classes in the last two decades has resulted in exacerbating economic inequalities. “The hiatus between the shining and suffering India has been growing,” it states.

“The objective of significantly improving the prosperity of the Indian people can only be achieved if struggles against the neo-liberal economic trajectory are...