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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Janata parivar may be the new Left
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Janata parivar may be the new Left

The erstwhile Janata parivar parties merging into a single entity could lead socialist parties to occupy the space that the Left parties once held, analysts say

Taken together with the CPM-led Left Front, these parties hold 40 seats in the 245-member Rajya Sabha, a force that could put significant roadblocks on reform legislation sought by the National Democratic Alliance. Photo: PTIPremium
Taken together with the CPM-led Left Front, these parties hold 40 seats in the 245-member Rajya Sabha, a force that could put significant roadblocks on reform legislation sought by the National Democratic Alliance. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The prospects of the erstwhile Janata parivar components merging into a single entity and mounting a challenge to the government’s reforms agenda could lead socialist parties to occupy the space that the Left parties once held inside and outside Parliament, analysts said.

Last week, members of the Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), and the Samajwadi Party (SP) along with those of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPM, submitted a dissenting note in the draft report of the select panel examining the proposed insurance amendment Bill, which aims to allow 49% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance sector.

The common dissent note had been prepared by veteran JD(U) leader K.C. Tyagi on behalf of all opposition parties including the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Taken together with the CPM-led Left Front, these parties hold 40 seats in the 245-member Rajya Sabha, a force that could put significant roadblocks on reform legislation sought by the National Democratic Alliance, which is in a minority in the upper House. These parties have also opposed the government’s bid to pass the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2014, aiming to make the process of allotting coal mines more transparent. They have opposed moves to restrict the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act jobs scheme to the most backward areas.

“These parties have always been left of centre, which indeed makes them the New Left. Traditionally, these parties have taken stand on policies against the Right. At every point of time in Parliament, some parties are leaning towards Left’s ideology on policy issues," said Jai Mrug, a Mumbai-based political analyst.

The constituents of the Janata parivar, which came out of the Janata Dal that unseated the Congress in 1977, are making moves to forge political unity as the traditional Left grapples with dwindling numbers. Seats held by CPM-led Left parties have fallen from 61 in the 14th Lok Sabha to 24 in the 15th and 11 after this year’s general election. Having lost West Bengal and Kerala in the last three years, the Left Front now holds power only in Tripura.

Realizing the newly formed tie-up between the five Janata parivar parties, including the SP and JD(U), will need help from other opposition parties, senior leaders of these parties spoke to members of the Congress before the start of the month-long winter session of Parliament to join hands against some steps of the government.

However, some analysts feel this group may not be able to present a strong opposition.

“Neither do they have the numbers, nor do they have the credibility in terms of taking a stand on policy issues. What will be interesting to see is if they can stop a legislation in Rajya Sabha," Paul Zacharia, a Thiruvananthapuram-based political commentator and writer, said.

These parties may not be able to occupy the political space of the Left because of ideological differences, Zacharia said.

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Published: 16 Dec 2014, 11:41 PM IST
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