Ne isse ▁line ▁Poland ' s ▁western ▁border . ▁The ▁commun ist - control led ▁Inter ior ▁Ministry ▁issued ▁results ▁showing ▁that ▁all ▁three ▁questions ▁passed ▁over wh el ming ly . ▁Years ▁later , ▁however , ▁evidence ▁was ▁un cover ed ▁showing ▁that ▁the ▁refer endum ▁had ▁been ▁t aint ed ▁by ▁massive ▁fra ud , ▁and ▁only ▁the ▁third ▁question ▁actually ▁passed . ▁ ▁W ład ys ław ▁G om u ł ka ▁then ▁took ▁advantage ▁of ▁a ▁split ▁in ▁the ▁Polish ▁Social ist ▁Party . ▁ ▁One ▁fa ction , ▁which ▁included ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Edward ▁Os ób ka - Mor aw ski , ▁wanted ▁to ▁join ▁forces ▁with ▁the ▁Pe asant ▁Party ▁and ▁form ▁a ▁un ited ▁front ▁against ▁the ▁Commun ists . ▁Another ▁fa ction , ▁led ▁by ▁Jó zef ▁Cy rank iew icz , ▁argued ▁that ▁the ▁Social ists ▁should ▁support ▁the ▁Commun ists ▁in ▁carrying ▁through ▁a ▁social ist ▁program , ▁while ▁oppos ing ▁the ▁im position ▁of ▁one - party ▁rule . ▁Pre - war ▁political ▁host ilities ▁continued ▁to ▁influence ▁events , ▁and ▁Stanisław ▁M iko ł aj czy k ▁would ▁not ▁agree ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁un ited ▁front ▁with ▁the ▁Social ists . ▁The ▁Commun ists ▁played ▁on ▁these ▁divisions ▁by ▁dismiss ing ▁Os ób ka - Mor aw ski ▁and ▁making ▁Cy rank iew icz ▁Prime ▁Minister . ▁ ▁Between ▁the ▁refer endum ▁and ▁the ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁general ▁elections , ▁the ▁opposition ▁was ▁subject ed ▁to ▁per sec ution