The Communist Party of India, however, isn't willing to commit itself yet. The CPI would have more to lose, since it has two important ministers in this government. When asked whether his party would continue in the government if the Congress joined it, party general secretary AB Bardhan said: The question has many ifs. Why should we delve into the question right now.
CPI(M) leaders point out that they have spent their lives opposing the policies of the Congress. Especially in the last five years, we had intesified our campaigns against the Congress and its new economic policy, party politbureau member S Ramachandran Pillai said.
He said that if the Congress had to join the government it would do so only after joining the front.
How can we be part of the same coalition of which Congress is also a part, he asked.
When asked whether Narasimha Rao's departure from the post of president of the Congress would make his party reconsider its position, he said that it was not a question of one person. We are opposed to the policies of the Congress. Whether Rao remains or not, it will not make any difference to our stand.
He, however, said that there was no possibility of the Congress joining the government at present. They have already expressed their reservation about the UF common minimum programme. Unless they agree to it how can they join it, he said.