Threatening is possibility this time: Prakash Karat

Dec 11:  Word matters most. But for politicians stick to their own words doesn’t matter most and also to deflect from their early speech has become current fashion. At least the latest statement issued by CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat justifies the above statement.

In his current attack Prakash Karat has issued another ultimatum to the centre on the Indo-US nuclear deal. He said that the UPA government must stop operationalisation of the deal before the end of the month or the Left will withdraw support and force mid-term elections.

Barely a month ago the Left took a softer line and allowed the government to hold talks on India-specific safeguards with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. And, now he issued a threatening ultimatum as the second round of discussion is still going on.

What conclusions can a person even not understanding xyz of politics, draw with such statements. None other than the CPM party as well as its leaders are an astute one.

Even when the nuclear deal was being signed, the Left said nothing about its opposition. So, Mr. Karat’s threat that the issue must be resolved by the end of December or else it would mean that mid term polls would be on the cards can only be seen as a political expediency.

Karat contention is that the Left remained calm on the deal then because it did not want to destabilise the congress led government before the Gujarat elections.

But, if he wanted to give the Gujarat voters the impression that the government is stable, then he should have talked about pulling down the government after the voting. If this was the sole reason, he should not forget that two-phase of the Gujarat elections has still to go on.

With this ultimatum a million dollar question again returned to the Congress-led UPA that has been with it for months now: national interests worth more or to run the government without self-esteem? Does the current LoK Sabha allow it to meet its obligations as a responsible national government?

This is the first time when Karat has openly threatened the UPA with mid-term elections. Congress must see this threat as a possibility and prepare accordingly.

Another reason for the Left’s ire could also be that it did not get support of Sonia Gandhi and Congress on Nandigram issue as it had expected. On the issue of Nandigram, Singur and SEZ, the prestige of the Left government in Bengal has already been slackened.

The Left’s fresh statement looks more disheartening when we compare it with the previous one what he said on November 16. He had said that the government should go ahead with talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency on the condition that any agreement would be signed only after it was examined by the UPA-Left committee.

But, the Left party is known for its contradictory statement. It never sticks to one statement. Repeated alteration in the statement is the characteristics of Left party.

Perhaps in the hope of gaining people support and sympathy on issue of national interests, the Left has threatened the Congress-led UPA with mid-term elections.

Perhaps Karat has misconception about his party’s performance in different states. The Kerala CPM is driven with personality cults and corruption and might lose the next election. As far as West Bengal is concerned it has got a bad name due to its defective strategies. It is unlikely therefore party will spell the same magic as it did last time.