The Rediff Special /Surabhi Banerjee

'If this government emulates the Congress, it will not be possible to keep it in office for long'

In 1996, Basu completed fifty years in electoral politics, and had become chief minister of West Bengal for a record fifth time. He would have become Indian's oldest prime minister if his own party hadn't raised objections. What did he see as his priorities at this time?

According to him there were two things he intended to focus on. The first was attempting to look for ways to revitalise his own party which had lost a bit of ground to other parties. The more pressing problem was to support the United Front at the Centre; in addition, the CPI-M would have to oppose the government whenever it was headed in the wrong direction, though the criticism would need to be constructive at all times.

Says Basu: ''The United Front will have difficulty as they have no experience of running a multi-party government as we have. That is why we are trying to convince them that in spite of all difficulties, they must work together. Unanimity in all matters may not be possible, but it is possible to agree on many matters and work together. Our policy is how to oppose this government in some matters and support it in others. But we do want this government to continue. If this government emulates the Congress, it will not be possible to keep it in office for long. We may have many differences of opinion in economic and social fields, but our main task now is to prevent the BJP from coming to power.'' Basu told his state committee as well as the CPI-M leadership that the party would have to ensure that the UF implemented its common minimum programme.

''Unlike the Left Front governments in India,'' Basu says, ''whether committees exist to help in the implementation of programmes placed before the people, the constituents of the UF government and their supporters had no such common programme. After the general election the UF came into existence with a common minimum programme and a steering committee was formed to guide the government. For the CPI--M the task is not only difficult but complicated as well because while it is pledged to help the government it also reserves the right to criticise it and organise movements whenever necessary. It is a new experiment unlike that during the Janata government when there were no commonly worked out programmes nor a steering committee. Only time and experience will show the effect of this stand and policy.'' He adds, ''In any event the unity of the left parties has to be separately maintained despite the visions among them in regard to joining the UF government.''

Excerpted from Jyoti Basu, by Surabhi Banerjee, Viking, 1997, Rs 400, with the publisher's permission.

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