Congress ke haath, America ke saath says Karat. But more importantly, one should be asking for whom does Karat’s hand raise?

Well, the options can be three:

1) With India. This will mean the Left position comes from a resolve not to let away the sovereignity of India by abiding to unfair traeties like IAEA for what will not be a suitable deal in return. We will have nuclear examiners knocking our doors in the midnight, checking for WMDs under the pillows.
Position: Commendable.

2) the global third front: This will mean that the Left position is a sincere effort to league with the third front of the globe, the first being America and its allies, the second the imagined Islamic and Left extremes. The third front would include the Left leaning Latin American countries, and Iran, who can jointly mount a combat on the uni-polar world.
Position: Revolutionary and appealing.

3)the Indian third front: The elections are anyways just a year away, and it is time to have some bargaining done. The BJP still being the centre of threat, alliance with Congress is inevitable. But one shouldn’t forget one’s own party in the meantime. So, put up an internal fight, replay the ideological differences, show that “well there is a Congress, there is a BJP, and we are with one, not with one, but we are not one”. Try to get as many seats out of the alliance, and become a major ideological powerhouse of the next government.
Position: Sounded sound politics, but Congress showing unnantural courage. So in a tight spot.

4) And then there is a fourth position. And that is to be with China. To stall any move that makes India play America’s part against China. Factuality of the situation, including the ever-on incursions into the Indian territory, reminds us that China is a bigger threat.
Position : that will be too bad.