FROM 50 YEARS AGO strong opposition in some States as well as be ruled out of consideration in some States in Parliament. Political tactics, therefore, where the combined parties of the Left maydictate an electoral alliance between the parties emerge victorious in the elections. But a Unitedof the Left. There are possibilities of such an Front is not necessarily an essentialalliance in Travancore-Cochin, West Bengal condition for an electoral alliance among and Maharashtra. Jayaprakash Narain has parties of the Left. In West Bengal, PSP andshown statesmanship in favouring such an CPI are discussing prospects of pooling
Vol VIII, No 32, August 11, 1956
alliance. None of the parties of the Left can their resources and candidates for contesting oust Congress from power. But together, they Congress more effectively in the elections.Electoral Marriage can form a strong powerful Opposition in all Even such a fluid alliance has some advan-State Assemblies and in Parliament. Thus tages. For obvious reasons, Congress has
(Weekly Notes)
alone can the parties of the Left influence started a campaign against such electioneer-
Neither the Communists nor the Praja the Congress Government, as Jayaprakash ing tactics. But the parties of the Left would Socialists are strong enough to form a gov-argues rightly, to implement Avadi. be unwise in being influenced by such camernment in any of the States. Even as a United There are obstacles to forming a United paign by Congress. In the wider interests of Front, they may not capture more than one Front. PSP and some other parties of the Left a robust party system of government, there or two States. But, with an alliance, they may are not likely to combine with Communists will be hope that Jayaprakash’s realistic succeed not only in forming governments in in formulating a common minimum suggestion will be endorsed by the national one or two States, but may also emerge as a programme. Coalition governments may not executive of PSP.
Economic and Political Weekly August 12, 2006
