W ith the demise of CPM patriarch Jyoti Basu, ‘‘the colossus of Indian politics’’ as Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said, an era has indeed come to an end in the politics of this country. What made Basu so charismatic? It was his ability to dominate national politics despite being a regional leader. He was the CPM leader that the Centre could not afford to ignore. This is his legacy. Had it not been for his leadership, the CPM would not be what it was in its heyday in West Bengal. Now that the tallest of its leaders is no more and the party’s glory is a thing of the past as reflected in the results of the last general elections, how will the CPM consolidate its position? Or rather, can it? These are questions the communist party must ponder seriously if it wants to stay in the business of politics. Times have changed and we do not know how Basu would have dealt with the changes if he were active today. But the fact remains that his presence was pan-Indian, and it is this reality that the CPM is now required to be informed with if it wants to re-emerge as a pan-Indian force. And this is a Herculean task, given the communist obduracy, the reluctance to change with time, the disinclination to accept the changes and grow accordingly. If the CPM means what it says of the legendary Jyoti Basu, it must grow with time and thus keep the Basu legacy. That will be the best tribute to him. THE SENTINEL
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