VISAKHAPATNAM: In a bid to reinvent itself and break the Congress-BJP paradigm, the CPI (M) has decided to go in for a flexible alliance with secular forces to provide a platform for them to come together, CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat said here on Wednesday.

Addressing media persons on the second day of CPI (M)'s 21st National Congress, Karat said that whenever the Congress takes a beating it benefits the BJP and vice-versa. "Much thought is going into why this paradigm has not been broken. It has been resolved to bring other secular forces onto a common platform to break this cycle," he explained.

When asked if they were looking for an electoral alliance, Karat said it would not be an electoral but issue-based alliance. He, however, added that regional parties like the TDP, Biju Janata Dal and AIADMK would never be part of this alliance. When asked if any break away groups of parties could join this alliance, he said "Yes, as long as we can see eye to eye on issues."

Regarding a review of the party's performance over the past 25 years, Karat said the progress of the party in light of the major national and international changes, liberal economic policies at the national level and changing international scenario after the fall of the Soviet Union were all studied in depth and much thought given to pave the way for the future course of action. Talking about the resolutions passed at the national meet so far, Karat said one of the key ones was against the new Land Bill being pushed by the Narendra Modi government. Terming it as the "land grab bill", Karat said that the BJP government was trying to weaken the 2013 Land Acquisition Bill by diluting the mandatory requirement for consent of farmers by expanding the list of projects (including infrastructure in the PPP mode and industrial corridors) which are exempted from farmer consent as well as social impact assessment.

Karat added that CPI (M) and the left parties would continue to vehemently oppose the Bill, both in Parliament as well as on the ground through agitations and protests, keeping in view the mounting discontent and anger. On the number of amendments accepted in the report on the political tactical line of the party, Karat said 29 were accepted, most of which were technical in nature.