Jagmati Sangwan who resigned from Communist Party of India (Marxist) in protest against party’s refusal to accept that its alliance with Congress in West Bengal was key factor behind party’s losing the elections, has blamed the party’s central committee of being cut off from the ground realities.

Sangwan, who hails from Haryana and has fought against khaps, had written a detailed post on the facebook explaining her stand. 

Dear Friends and Comrades,

As you all must have heard I have resigned from the primary membership of CPI (M). However, I feel it is my duty to give you all my perspective on recent developments within the party.

The open "understanding" between Congress and Left in the recent state elections in Bengal according to me was the worst example of violation of party line which was formed after such lengthy discussions and debate. This has resulted in our party's worst ever electoral performance in the state. I feel the election results are only a reflection of complete rejection of this opportunistic alliance with a bourgeois party that has a history of inflicting severe violence against our own carder in West Bengal. The fact that even after election results several state leaders have made public statements upholding their alliance with Congress and against Central Committee only goes on to show how cut off they are from the wish of the masses.

The CC meeting was called specifically to discuss the review of the assembly elections in five states, of which the electoral tactics adopted in West Bengal was of greater significance. PB majority note presented in the meeting called the electoral tactics adopted in West Bengal, a violation of the party's political line. General secretary presented a minority view of the PB which was not ready to see this as anything more than ' not in consonance' of party line. Both West Bengal secretary and chairman of West Bengal left front literally blackmailed the entire CC that if the PB majority note is accepted then they will resign. In spite of this threat, more than two third of the CC members spoke how the electoral tactics was indeed a violation of the party line and how this is badly affecting the party in their own states. Yet the final PB note amended the majority note and replaced ' violation ' with ' not in consonance'. This was done by putting aside the majority opinion of the CC and in effect this meant that no responsibility would be fixed for the violation of the line.

As a person who has given majority part of my life to the party, the common masses most of all the deprived sections of women, Dalits and poor, have been central to my understanding of politics. To loose focus from them even at the cost of electoral gains, means loosing my complete ideological framework. My conscience does not allow me to tow a line that hits at the interests of a party of the masses and there by betraying the class interest of people it belongs to.

My dear friends and comrades , it is a purely ideological decision that I have taken but at the same time I am extremely emotional about my ties especially with AIDWA and all of you. The Political line of the party has been nurtured by the sacrifices of the generations and continues to be nurtured even today by valiant struggles of nameless and ordinary people. I salute their struggles and will do whatever I can to strengthen their struggles.

Comradely yours
Jagmati Sangwan
(21 June, 2016)

See Facebook post