Losing confidence

Last week, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta came up with a proposal that didn’t go down very well with the CPI(M). “Let’s bring a no-confidence motion against the UPA government,” Dasgupta told his counterpart in the CPI(M), Basudeb Acharia. Since 2008, the Left parties have had to taste defeat on two occasions while challenging the government. However, good sense prevailed on the CPI(M) and Acharia bluntly told Dasgupta, “Are you out of your senses? You want the Left to join hands with the BJP and vote against this government when elections in Kerala and Bengal are due next month?” The CPI(M) also gently reminded the CPI leader that a no-confidence motion might provide Dasgupta an opportunity to make a long speech in Parliament but it won’t serve any other purpose.