Sitaram Yechury re-elected CPI(M) general secretary

Sitaram Yechury got elected on Sunday as the general secretary of the CPI(M) for another term, two days after he successfully incorporated his stance in the party’s political-tactical line.

Yechury’s immediate challenge would be to improve CPI(M)’s tally in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and restore the party’s importance in the opposition camp, where arch-rival and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has expanded her footprint.

Yechury’s predecessor Prakash Karat enjoyed a stint for three terms during which the party plummeted from 61 seats in Lok Sabha to just 11 seats.

While Karat’s tenure saw the fall of the Left in its citadel of West Bengal, Yechury’s era saw CPI(M)’s defeat in its another bastion — Tripura.

After being elected, Yechury told the party congress, “Our main task is to defeat the BJP-RSS government. We have emerged more stronger and united from this party congress.”

The CPI(M) amended its tactical line on Friday to allow an “understanding” with the Congress ahead of the 2019 poll, and quelled a mounting rift in the party.

The communists will, however, have no political alliance with the Congress, the largest opposition party.

The final version of the political tactical line replaced the phrase “without any understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress” with “without political alliance with the Congress.”

Even as Yechury had his way, insiders doubt the effectiveness of any such arrangement as the CPI(M) has been marginalised in several states across India.