Two senior CPI leaders yesterday said that the party joining another United Front ministry, under a new leader, could not be taken for granted.
Whether or not the party will have ministerial representation in the new ministry depends on how the present situation shapes up, CPI central secretariat member J Chitharanjan and Veliyam Bhargavan, assistant secretary of the Kerala state CPI, said at a press conference here.
They indicated that issues like that would have to be discussed at the next meeting of the partys national council.
Asked whom the Left parties would prefer as Deve Gowdas successor, they said since several names, including that of G K Moopanar, were being mentioned in that connection, he should be one who is patriotic, above corruption and capable of pursuing progressive policies.
The Left parties expected to have their say on the matter at the right time, they added.
The leaders said they did not think that it was possible to marginalise the left parties in the current efforts to form an alternative ministry.
The CPI leaders said the Left parties also viewed the Congress refusal to withdraw the letter to the President, staking claim for formation of an alternative ministry prior to election of a successor to Gowda, as an attempt to impose conditions. We suspect that the Congress may have hidden objectives in refusing to withdraw the letter, they said.
Apparently the Congress was trying to deepen the present crisis, rather than solve it. Removing the leader and electing a new one were the internal affairs of the United Front (UF) and the UF alone had the right to take decisions on these questions. There was no question of succumbing to pressures, CPI leaders said.
About home minister Indrajit Guptas reported remarks in a TV interview, holding Deve Gowda primarily responsible for withdrawal of Congress support to the UF ministry they said, if he was reported correctly, then that was not the partys view, but his personal opinion.
The Left parties, they maintained, was not for replacing Deve Gowda, as change of leadership was not an idea that had come up within the United Front.
The CPI did not regret having joined the Deve Gowda-led ministry and the blame for bringing it down and the resultant political uncertainity should squarely rest with the Congress, Chitharanjan and Bhargavan said.
