In the recently held municipal and local body elections in Andhra Pradesh CPM aligned with Telugu Desam Party (TDP). This decision of the CPM to align with TDP has further exposed totally unprincipled nature of CPM leadership's election alliances while it has to some extent surprised those who hope for something better from these 'left' parties while all the facts point to the contrary. It should be clear to everyone by now that CPM, CPI like parties using 'left' label are defending the interests of ruling classes and pursuing the agenda of sharing power in the present semicolonial, semifeudal setup like other ruling class parties. It is too late in the day to expect some thing better from the revisionist chieftains who pride themselves in running this system better than other ruling class parties, who pat themselves at being the front runner in the implementation of the anti-people new economic policies and in crushing the revolutionary movement. It is long since these parties had degenerated into ruling class parties. In Andhra Pradesh, these revisionist twins who daily and hourly parrot theme of 'left' unity, found themselves in two opposing electoral blocks like they did in Bihar and elsewhere.

CPM's decision came as a surprise to some as CPM leaders pride themselves for being opposed to new economic policies while Chandrababu Naidu's Govt. had done everything to implement the agenda of World Bank and imperialists in Andhra Pradesh. That Naidu now talks of "globalization with human face" in tune with the revisionist chieftains whose opposition too is facial i.e. formal only, while they do everything to implement these policies where-ever they are in power.  With CPM building bridges with TDP, their relations with TDP have come a full circle. Ruling class parties in India don the human face when and where they are in opposition. Once in power they go for inhuman body of these policies.

TDP had returned to power in 1994 under the leadership of NTR who was soon thereafter thrown out of power in a revolt led by Chandrababu Naidu. NTR died soon after and Naidu's TDP, in power already, marginalized the rival claimant. This was the time when minority Govt. of PV Narsimha Rao was implementing new economic policies. In the elections held in 1996, Congress suffered defeat and regional parties came in strength. With the help of CPM leadership, Chandrababu Naidu emerged as a king maker in United Front. This UF Govt. in which CPI participated in ministry and CPM supported without joining ministry, was supported by Congress from outside. In this period CPM and TDP were having electoral alliance and the mixture of red and yellow flags was a common sight.

However, UF Govt. fell due to withdrawal of support by the Congress. The pretext used by Congress was continuation of DMK in UF ministry with whom it has no qualms in sharing power today. In the following elections in 1998, BJP and its allies emerged with larger share of seats in Lok Sabha. At that time, Naidu's TDP joined hands with BJP led NDA and extended support to NDA from outside taking speakership of Lok Sabha. It was the time when relations between TDP and CPM turned sour. They found themselves in opposite camps. In the following elections in 1999, due to fall of BJP led Govt. after withdrawal of support by Jayalalitha, TDP and BJP contested jointly in AP. TDP continued to support NDA Govt. till it was voted out of power in 2004 elections in which TDP too suffered ignominious defeat in AP.

In this period in power, TDP intensified implementation of LPG policies. Naidu projected himself as the front runner in the implementation of these policies and rolled out a big welcome for the imperialist chieftain Clinton during his visit to India. In service of imperialists and big bourgeois, big landlord ruling classes, Naidu made Communist Revolutionaries as his main target. In addition to fake encounters, his Govt. resorted to covert operations and use of poisoned food. His policies had increased hardships of the people. Communist revolutionary organizations were natural opponents of his pro-imperialist reactionary policies. Due to their opposition to BJP-TDP alliance, CPM, CPI too joined the struggle against adverse effects of these policies on the people. A powerful movement with the participation of CR forces and CPM, CPI and other 'left' parties, was built against the hike in power tariff. Basheerbagh became the symbol of this agitation wherein three participants were gunned down.

After Basheerbagh, Congress, CPM and CPI became one block to fight the elections. For Congress, which always claimed to be the initiator and strongest votary of new economic policies, it was just a move to take electoral advantage of the people's opposition to these policies.

Just like his BJP partners, Naidu underestimated the people's anger against his misrule, and hoped to whip up 'sympathy' in the wake of abortive attempt on his life by CPI (Maoist), then CPI(ML)-PW. Besides open alliance by CPM, CPI, CPI (Maoist) and CPI(ML)-Janashakti allowed Congress to conduct their election campaign peacefully though calling for boycott of elections. Though CPI (Maoist) rejected support to the Congress before the elections, yet they openly admitted it after the election results. After the elections, YSR Govt. for some time tried to hoodwink the people by staging a drama of talks with Naxalites. But he was thoroughly insincere about them starting encounters even during the peace talks.

In 2004 general elections, BJP led NDA suffered serious defeat and CPM led 'Left' Front emerged as the main prop of Congress led UPA Govt. at the Centre. CPM took the post of Speaker of Lok Sabha and the 'left' parties put their nominees in various committees of the Govt. besides forming a Congress-Left Coordination Committee to supervise over the functioning of the Govt. While enjoying power at the Centre, CPM, aware of the unpopular nature of the policies of UPA Govt., is trying to simultaneously project itself as the opponent of these policies thus trying to enjoy privileges of the ruling and prestige of the opposition. In order to buttress its bargaining power with Congress, CPM keeps on talking of third front with regional parties.

In Andhra Pradesh Congress had a majority of its own. YS Rajasekhar Reddy was also keen to clip the wings of CPM. He started vigorous implementation of WB dictated policies throwing away the human mask. He negated his election promise of lowering the power tariff rates. His Govt. invited Butcher Bush to AP. His Govt. targeted CR organizations and also all the progressive and democratic organizations. In this situation CPM started taking certain positions against YSR Govt. and started wooing Chandrababu Naidu. Senior CPM leaders hugged Naidu when they came to Hyderabad for their meeting.

Then came the municipal and local body elections. CPM sent signals to Congress for electoral alliance while CPM had opened its channels with TDP. Keeping good relations with CPI, YSR wanted to marginalize CPM. CPM announced that it would wait upto 6 PM of the day of election notification for electoral alliance with Congress otherwise it would opt for other allies. Congress did not offer terms acceptable to CPM and CPM went for election agreements with TDP. TDP after its electoral drubbing had started donning 'human mask' to recover prestige and taking stands such as "against forcibly taking the lands of the peasantry at cheaper rates." CPM state secretary has repeatedly declared that his party would forge election agreements with any party to extend their party's base.

Forging election alliance with TDP is yet another proof of chameleon like changing colours devoid of any principles. They are maintaining Congress in power at the Centre. Even when they formally oppose some of UPA policies they always preface their opposition with the declaration that there is no danger to UPA Govt. which according to them would remain in power for full five years. Their AP state committee's declaration of election alliance with Congress upto 6 PM and with TDP after that time, shows the utterly unprincipled nature of their electoral alliances. It also shows that there is no difference between CPM and other ruling class parties in forging electoral alliances.

CPM has already cleared its way for participation in Central Govt. Taking Speakership of Lok Sabha is a beginning in this direction. It has already declared itself in the service of imperialism and big bourgeois, big landlord ruling classes. Advancing from its 'Kerala-Bengal road", it is forging "Delhi road". In the present situation of fragmentation of ruling class polity, CPM is advocating alliance with Congress and other ruling class parties in order to keep BJP out of power.

We had termed in 1997 that CPM is a party of ruling classes and its conduct since then has convinced many more forces to accept that reality. Its chameleon politics both at Centre and in AP is in accord with it.

(Based on an article published in Prajapandha)