CPM leaders support and justify Vijayaraghavan, say communalism should be resisted at any cost

Thiruvananthapuram: CPM politburo member A Vijayaraghavan's statement that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi won in Wayanad due to the support of Muslim community has received backing from CPM. Even as it has been pointed out that it is a dangerous remark that could serve as a weapon for the BJP, especially in North India,  CPM reiterated that Vijayaraghavan's statement is accurate.

Wayanad is a constituency where the UDF has strong roots. In 2009, M.I. Shanavas won Wayanad with a majority of 1.53 lakh votes. Even though no one from the Gandhi family contested, the CPM acknowledges that Wayanad is a UDF stronghold.

Despite this, Vijayaraghavan's argument that the victory of Rahul and Priyanka was due to the votes of minority communities is being supported by the CPM with two objectives in mind: removing the stigma of minority appeasement from the Lok Sabha election campaign and paving the way for revising the party's political stance towards the Congress alliance.

Minority votes play a crucial role in securing parliamentary dominance in Kerala. The entry of Kerala Congress (M) into the Left Front shifted a section of Christian votes towards the LDF. However, the CPM assessed that the majority of Muslim votes, routed through the IUML, go to the UDF. They calculated that creating a divide in this would make Left victories easier. This was tested during the Lok Sabha elections. The CPM organised events such as Palestine solidarity meetings and citizenship amendment seminars, primarily in Malabar. However, this created the impression that the party was leaning towards Muslim minority appeasement, a perception that even the BJP capitalised on, leading to a loss of Hindu votes.

In three by-elections held after the Lok Sabha elections, the CPM altered its campaign strategy. They intensified the narrative that Muslim extremist groups are aligned with the UDF. Vijayaraghavan's statement and its endorsement by the CPM leadership are seen as a continuation of this stance.

Another aim of the Kerala CPM leadership is to establish a political shift within the party, advocating for a change in policy towards the Congress. The political resolution to be presented at the upcoming Madurai Party Congress is expected to suggest amendments to the current policy of forming alliances with the Congress to counter the BJP. Kerala leaders are key proponents of this. Against this backdrop, the CPM has decided to strengthen its anti-Congress sentiment.

Criticising Jamaat-e-Islami doesn’t make one anti-Muslim: M.V. Govindan
CPM state secretary M.V. Govindan said that the votes of alliances like Jamaat-e-Islami and SDPI contributed to the victory of Congress and the UDF. He was responding to Vijayaraghavan's remarks that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi won in Wayanad with the support of the Muslim community.

"Criticising Jamaat-e-Islami is not anti-Muslim, and criticising the RSS is not anti-Hindu. Both minority communalism and majority communalism challenge the CPM. The party does not intend to compromise with either," said M.V. Govindan.

There is no communal stance in his speech: T.P. Ramakrishnan

LDF convenor T.P. Ramakrishnan said that Vijayaraghavan was criticising the Congress ties with communal forces and that his speech did not contain any communal stance.