CPI(M) meet witnesses heated exchanges over strike failure

The failure of the 12-hour strike called by the CPI(M)-led Left Front on November 28 to protest against demonetisation was put under the scanner at the Marxist party's state committee meeting today, with several leaders questioning the capability of the present leadership to lead the party during a time of crisis.

The two-day CPI(M) state committee meeting, which began yesterday in the presence of party general secretary Sitaram Yechury, witnessed heated exchanges among the state committee members, who questioned the 'logic' behind calling the strike.

The 12-hour shutdown had failed miserably and Left Front chairman Biman Bose was forced to admit as much, accepting that "the party will take lessons from the failure of the strike".
 

"Several leaders, especially from the districts, questioned the logic behind the strike call. They pointed out that when the people of the country were suffering due to demonetisation, how can the party leadership behave in such an irresponsible way by calling a strike," a CPI(M) state committee member said on the condition of anonymity.

In fact, after the strike fiasco, the Left Front had shied away from organising any protest or rally on the demonetisation issue.

A section of leaders during the meeting observed that the strike constituted a short cut to protest and is nothing but an attempt to avoid long duration struggle.

"A strike call is the last and ultimate weapon of mass struggle," they pointed out.

The party's state leadership, led by state secretary and politburo member Surya Kanta Mishra, has been on the line of fire of several state committee members ever since the party's dismal performance in the last Assembly poll when the Marxist party forged an alliance with the Congress in the state.

Another section of state committee members urged the leadership to hit the roads on the demonetisation issue rather than intending "to bring about a revolution and change through social media posts".

Meanwhile, politburo member Mohammed Salim was brought in replacing legislative party leader Sujan Chakraborty to strengthen the party's youth wing which once was the backbone of the party.