CPI(M) Backs Rahul Gandhi, BJP Criticizes Congress-Left Alliance

Thiruvananthapuram, October 20 (Daily Kiran) : The Marxist Communist Party of India (CPI(M)) has come to the defense of Rahul Gandhi regarding his recent foreign trip, providing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with an opportunity to reiterate its longstanding criticisms of the Congress and CPI(M) alliance. While these two parties are fierce political rivals in Kerala, they have formed a collaborative front at the national level.

CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby dismissed BJP’s campaign against Gandhi’s travels as an attempt to create confusion. He highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken significantly more foreign trips compared to his visits to Indian states. Baby also pointed out that Modi was abroad during critical times, such as when violence erupted in Manipur.

Furthermore, Baby cautioned against statements that could complicate the joint protests organized by the opposition alliance. He emphasized that each party within the coalition has the right to determine how to conduct its movements.

While Baby’s remarks aimed to defend the opposition coalition against BJP’s criticisms, they also revived an old political slogan that has troubled both parties in Kerala. Former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu frequently used phrases like “wrestling in Kerala, friendship in Delhi” to highlight the contradictions between Congress and CPI(M). This phrase has become a familiar refrain for the BJP.

This argument is rooted in Kerala’s political realities, where the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) are each other’s primary competitors for power. During assembly and parliamentary elections, leaders from both parties often launch sharp attacks against one another, even as they unite nationally to oppose the BJP.

The BJP has often leveraged visits from national leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, during election campaigns to underscore this contradiction and question the credibility of Congress and the left parties.

Baby’s recent comments do not suggest any shift in CPI(M)’s stance in Kerala; however, his emphasis on maintaining unity within the national opposition alliance gives the BJP another chance to argue that the intense rivalry between Congress and the left is often overshadowed by national political necessities.

As the BJP strengthens its position in Kerala, particularly after winning a Lok Sabha seat and three assembly seats, Naidu’s observations gain more relevance. On Tuesday, state BJP president and MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar targeted the two traditional rivals, alleging that they are colluding to support each other.

Tensions remain high as both parties face the challenge of sustaining their national collaboration while preventing their opponents from exploiting their local rivalries for political gain.