Despite the CPI(M) leaders in Kerala making critical statements about the Indian National Congress and eulogise the regional parties, seasoned political commentators in the State are of the view that there would be a marked change in the former’s attitude to the Grand Old Party in the coming months.
The CPI(M)’s Kerala secretary, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who is the de facto general secretary of the party is on record stating that the INC has lost its relevance and the regional parties would play a crucial role with the Left forces in dethroning the “communal and Fascist” BJP and Sangh Parivar in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
“Though the national leadership of the CPI(M) has expressed its stance that only a combination of Lefts, the INC and regional parties would be able to defeat the BJP, the Marxists are caught in a Catch-22 situation in Kerala,” said P Sujathan, veteran scribe and columnist.
He pointed out that the Congress was the main rival of the CPI(M) in Kerala unlike the rest of the country where both are on the same sides of the fence. “The question faced by the CPI(M) leaders in the State is how to convince the cadre who are moulded in an anti-Congress platform,” said Sujathan. He said as the CPI has made it known that no viable alliance would be possible against the Hindu parties without the inclusion of the Congress, the CPI(M) is likely to make amendments in its triennial congregation, the Party Congress, which meets in Kannur shortly.
It is in the Party Congress the leaders of the CPI(M) come out with its stance on all global, national and state level issues. Other Left parties like the RSP and the Forward Blocks are for a strong united front that include the INC against the “communal” BJP, pointed out Hari Kartha, former chief editor of Janmabhumi, the Sangh Parivar mouthpiece.
“We should understand ground realities. Indian National Congress is the only pan-India party which is consistent in its stance on secularism, federalism and Constitutional institutions. We should forge a national alliance with the Congress in the forefront,” Kanam Rajendra, general secretary of the CPI’s Kerala unit told The Pioneer.
The CPI’s mouthpiece Janayugam in its editorial on Tuesday reiterated that no viable alliance would be possible against the Fascist forces without including the Congress in the initiative. “The Congress has its own stance on economic issues. But the present situation needs a collective to safeguard secularism, democracy and freedom of speech. That could be regained only by aligning with the Congress,” opined the editorial.
Meanwhile Cherian Philip, who returned to the Congress after a brief stay in the CPI(M) asked the CPI to dump the Marxists and forge an alliance with the Congress. “That’s the need of the hour. The CPI was in alliance with the Congress for decades and there is nothing new in such a relation,” said Philip, a close confidante of Oommen Chandi, former chief minister.
There is a discernible change among the CPI(M) cadre vis-a-vis the INC. The rallies held across the State as part of the district conventions reverberated with slogans against the BJP and its Hindu policies while the cadre were silent about the Congress. Deshabhimani, the mouthpiece of the CPI(M) too has toned down the criticism and opposition against Congress leaders. "It looks more like a friendly match and I feel there exists a strong possibility of the parties coming together for a common cause," said Kartha.
Sujathan reminded that the CPI(M)-Congress alliance functioned effectively at the Centre during 2004 to 2009 though the former withdrew from the friendship following India's decision to sign the Nuclear Energy Pact with the US.