Kerala CPM does a U-turn; nods for party alliance with Congress in West Bengal
Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM in Kerala has changed its stance regarding the party alliance with Congress in West Bengal. The CPM Politburo evaluated that the alliance is inevitable to encounter the danger posed by BJP and the decision was wholly supported by Kerala CPM.
Kerala faction of CPM is of the opinion that their counterpart is against the national leadership and its stance. CPM opines that Congress in Kerala is the supporter of BJP.
It was in 2018 Hyderabad party congress that CPM decided to unite all secular parties to defeat BJP. But the Kerala faction under Prakash Karat had then put forward the condition that the unification should be without any political alliance with Congress. This condition was accepted by the party congress after much arguments.
The Congress’ offer to support Sitaram Yechuri’s Rajya Sabha candidature was rejected because of CPM Kerala’s disapproval. They had then alleged that the relationship with Congress can’t be justified in Kerala.
Congress in Kerala functions against the interest of the party at Centre and rejecting national leadership. They don’t embrace secularism and acts as BJP B team. CPM Kerala Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had stated that Congress Leader Ramesh Chennithala rejected Rahul Gandhi to please the RSS, in an effort to stamp them as ‘anti-national leadership’. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also had repeated the same.
But the PB meeting convened the other day evaluated that there is no other option than an alliance with Congress to counter BJP. Hence Kerala CPM has decided to forgo their stance.
Next year Assembly elections will be held in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and West Bengal. In Tamil Nadu, Left parties and Congress are part of DMK alliance while in Bihar both are in RJD-led Mahagathbandhan. CPM PB decided to form alliance with Congress in Bengal and Assam which in turn will help counter BJP in Tripura.
However, the alliance with Congress requires approval from central committee. PB is expected to present the proposal in the central committee to be convened in coming days.