The year 1997 poses for us immense challenges as it also offers tremendous opportunities. It is essential to grasp the qualitatively new element in the bright new prospects that unfold before us.
After five decades since Independence, the Indian ruling classes are now passing through one of their worst crises. The legitimacy of the system never stood as much eroded as today. The crisis only shows signs of deepening further. Ironically, at such a favourable juncture, the social democrats, the CPI and CPI(M), find themselves part of the ruling establishment. In what sharp relief the distinction between them, the official left, and us, the revolutionary left, has been brought into the open by the turn of political events! How clearly the fundamental difference between these two streams is becoming easily understandable for the masses!! This is the new aspect of the political situation and we should go the whole hog to make maximum out of it.
But even the most favourable political situation does not translate into rich political dividends on its own. This calls for major initiatives on our part in the new year to raise the fighting profile of our Party. Great subjective efforts are needed for a matching response to the bright objective situation. The 50th year of Indian independence, which coincides with this prospective year, is bound to throw up basic issues of our society into countrywide discussions. A proper intervention can only help in deepening our relevance, our politics of revolutionary transformation in contrast to that of firefighting social democrats.
The new year will also be the year of Party congress. The 6th Congress would be a milestone in our steady march towards the coveted position of preeminence in the left camp. Utmost efforts would be required from each one of us to make successful preparations for this Congress.
Going all-out to extract the most out of any given situation is part of the glorious tradition of our Party. We shall rise to the occasion in 1997. This shall be our resolve for the New Year.
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