Communist "reunification" not on agenda: CPI-M

New Delhi: A day after M.A Baby's comments sparked an instant debate in the state, the CPI (M) Central leadership on Sunday ruled out any possibility of reunification of the Communist parties, which split half-a-century back.

According to sources, the CPI (M) Politburo made it clear that the merger with the CPI was not on the agenda and the party was of the stand that the unwanted controversies on the matter should be avoided.

Meanwhile, CPI (M) politburo member M.A Baby told reporters today in Delhi that an immediate merger of the Communist parties was not on the party’s agenda.

"It is not on party’s immediate agenda right now. But, the talks on the matter may occur in the future. The Central leadership has insisted to avoid unwanted controversies on the matter,” he said.

Firing a fresh salvo, M.A. Baby Saturday had said the two Communist parties should unite as the need of the hour. He was speaking at a commemorative meeting in Thrissur for former chief minister C. Achutha Menon.

“There was nothing wrong if the two parties explored the possibilities in that direction in a realistic manner,” he said.

In the wake of drubbing received by the Left as a whole in the Lok Sabha polls even in its strongholds, CPI had revived the debate on the issue through a front page editorial of the party organ in Malayalam.

The CPI state and central leadership had, however, distanced themselves from the editorial, holding that it was not the party's official view.

Significantly, the then editor of the party daily Janayugom, who penned the editorial on the issue, was present at the seminar where Baby aired his views.

Interestingly, Baby was the first CPI(M) leader who picked holes in the CPI daily's editorial, holding that many of the key factors that led to the 1964 split were still relevant and that this was not an issue to be approached emotionally.