CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan on Sunday said that the drubbing of the Left parties in the West Bengal Assembly polls after 34 years has come as a “big setback’’ and the Left should be prepared to have a “long stint” in the Opposition benches and be a “constructive, responsible” Opposition.
In an interview to a television channel, Mr Bardhan warned its leaders to “either change or you are out”. Mr Bardhan recalled that he had earlier cautioned over the “arrogance” of Left leaders, but refrained from blaming anybody in particular this time. “Remain a Communist but not a dogmatic... Those who cannot change will be out. Either you change or you are out,” he said.
“Accept the defeat with all humility. It is a big setback. Be prepared to have a long stint in the Opposition. It will be for the benefit of the Left Front,” the CPI leader said.
On whether it was the arrogance of the Left leaders which led to the electoral setback, he noted that sweeping victories make one “hot-headed, a bit arrogant” and makes “you feel you can take people for granted”. “There has been omissions and commissions of the Left. The behaviour of Left cadres was on. They were the vote in anger against the Left. They (Singur and Nandigram) triggered off the anger. It gave a feeling that the Left, which once looked invincible can be fought and defeated. Till then a section of the anti-Left did not believe that Left could be defeated,” he said.
Asked whether the decision to withdraw support to UPA-I on the nuclear deal resulted in Trinamul Congress and Congress coming together, he said a section thinks so and added that nuclear deal “may not have been the issue” to break the relations but a “break had become inevitable”.
He said there was no point in blaming Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee alone for the debacle, though the captain has to take responsibility.