Opposition unity in the form of an alliance of all major opposition parties cannot be forged at the national level, the CPIM has said, adding it can be gained only by adopting a joint stand on important political issues. The latest editorial of party mouthpiece, People’s Democracy, has said that zeroing in on one who could be the face of the opposition at the national level is a “fruitless pursuit”.

The party also said that to advocate that the strongest opposition party in a state, whether it be a regional party or a national party, should be allowed to set the terms for an understanding with other parties to ensure a one-to-one contest against the BJP and its allies are far from ground realities and do not take into account the complexities and the diverse character of the opposition parties.

“First of all, it should be clear that opposition unity in the form of an alliance or front of all the major opposition parties cannot be forged at the national level. This erroneous idea stems from a narrow electoral outlook which sees the success of the electoral battle against the BJP as being dependent on ensuring a one-to-one fight in all constituencies. This is plain wishful thinking.

“Opposition unity has to be primarily fostered by adopting a joint stand on major national and important political issues,” the editorial said.

It also pointed out that making the prime minister accountable for the phenomenal rise of Adani and answerable to the revelations made by former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik about the Pulwama attack are such issues which can unite the opposition.

“If the opposition can put forth its alternative stand on all important policy issues and in defence of democracy, secularism and federalism – that will be a substantive step in projecting a united alternative.

“This should be supplemented by calls for joint campaigns and protests on people’s issues and the constant assaults on people’s livelihoods. Such calls can be observed by as many parties jointly through joint platforms and actions. In states where this is not possible, concerned parties may observe the calls separately through parallel actions. “This is the realistic way to go about matters since some of the parties which may be able to give a call jointly at the national level cannot implement it jointly in some of the states,” the party said in the editorial.

The CPI(M) also said it is these steps suggested above which would create the atmosphere for working out electoral tactics at the state level to maximise the pooling of anti-BJP votes.

“That is why it is important that the present efforts at gathering all the opposition parties must move with a clear direction – of uniting on major national issues with a clear-cut alternative, fostering united actions wherever possible and mobilising to fight the BJP in the states by ensuring the maximum pooling of the anti-BJP votes,” it said.