CPM to firm up stance on reforms

The 18th congress of the CPI(M) will refresh the internal debate and throw more light on the party's ideological position on issues of economic reforms such as foreign direct investment (FDI) and disinvestment.

While the CPI(M)'s position on these issues is well documented, and is part of the Congress-Left dialogue on economic reforms, the party congress, the highest decision making body of the CPI(M), itself has not lately discussed or adopted a resolution on what the formal line of the party should be.

The last such discussion took place in 1992. The CPI(M) recognises that much has changed since then.

CPI(M) politburo member Prakash Karat said a proposal in this regard would be put to the congress tomorrow, as part of the discussions on the political and organisational report of the party.

According to Karat, the discussion on the party's ideological position on policy matters was part of a larger plan to update the CPI(M)'s ideological document, which was passed at the Madras congress in 1992.

Talking about the issues discussed during the first two days of the congress, Karat said the draft political resolution was in the process of discussion and 12 delegates had spoken on it so far.

Karat said state units of the party were reviewing political alliances in their respective states. He said the party was making efforts to find out if "through the united fronts, our party has gained or have they (other parties) gained at our expense".

Party sources indicated that delegates were concerned with the CPI(M)'s relations with the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), with elections due in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura early next year.

The amendments to the political resolution are likely to be processed tonight and the final document will be adopted tomorrow.

According to Karat, the party had received around 2,835 amendments to the draft this time, a drop of almost 2,000 amendments from the last congress in 2002.

"This shows that there is wide approval of how we are intervening in the UPA government," Karat said. He had received a similar feedback at most of the state conferences held before the congress, Karat added.

The delegates had, however, asked the CPI(M) to not restrict itself to economic-policy related interventions and also take up political issues with the UPA. "They asked us to take up issues such as detoxification (though the word was not used) and the Bill on communal violence," Karat said.

Discussions on the international situation saw a resolution on Palestine being passed. The CPI(M) has demanded that the UPA "immediately sever its military ties with Israel".