 "CPI(M) ready to support any formation to keep Modi out")
In the first signs of political realignments in a post-poll scenario, the Left Front has offered unconditional support to the Congress to form a ‘secular alternative’ to keep out the BJP at the Centre. CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat on Saturday stated in unambiguous terms: “After the polls, all secular forces will have to come together and the Congress will have to play a role in forming a secular alternative to keep out the BJP and Narendra Modi.” Karat said it would be a rerun of the political scenario in 1996, when the Congress and the Left supported the United Front government to keep out the BJP.
Interacting with the media at the Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC), Karat said: “Any secular alternative will have to get the support of the Congress, otherwise the numbers will not add up.”
Karat, who termed the Narendra Modi and BJP-RSS election campaign as the “most communal ever”, was clear that given the anti-Congress mood, the “Congress would not do well” in the polls and secular regional parties would likely benefit from that. Should such a scenario arise after May 16, the Left parties were willing to bring together all these secular forces to keep out the BJP, he said.
Indicating that despite local contradictions (the Left fighting the Congress in several states, including West Bengal and Kerala), the Left was keen to have the Congress on board to put together a secular alternative. Asked about the Left Front’s position on the Trinamool Congress, its primary rival in West Bengal, Karat was dismissive about Trinamool’s plans. “We have to see what its attitude towards the BJP will be once the results are out,” he said, indicating he expected the party to support a BJP-led government if not join it.
Karat dismissed suggestions that the Congress would be wary given its experience of 2004, when the Left wielded its clout and withdrew support to the UPA government over the nuclear deal. “Realistically speaking, the Left’s strength and numbers are not that much. We are not thinking of playing a leading role; however, we may play some role,” he said.
Reminded that previous experiments of such Third Front-led governments raised questions over their long-term stability, Karat said: “Hopefully, lessons would have been learnt from 1996.” The then United Front government fell after the Congress withdrew support.
In February this year, the Left had got together 11 regional non-Congress, non-BJP parties in a bid to bring secular forces on a common platform. However, the AIADMK deserted them after party chief Jayalalithaa pulled out over differences on seat-sharing with the Left.
Nonetheless, the Left appears confident that secular regional parties would come together once the election results are out. Karat cited the example of the P Chidambaram-led Tamila Manila Congress, which was an integral part of the United Front government in 1996 but had fought the elections against some of the constituents.
The Left appears keen to invite on board all ‘secular parties’, including the much maligned Samajwadi Party, insisting that its communal statements were after provocation from local BJP-RSS activities. “All non-Left parties have their failings,” said Karat.Interacting with the media at the Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC), Karat said: “Any secular alternative will have to get the support of the Congress, otherwise the numbers will not add up.”
Karat, who termed the Narendra Modi and BJP-RSS election campaign as the “most communal ever”, was clear that given the anti-Congress mood, the “Congress would not do well” in the polls and secular regional parties would likely benefit from that. Should such a scenario arise after May 16, the Left parties were willing to bring together all these secular forces to keep out the BJP, he said.
Indicating that despite local contradictions (the Left fighting the Congress in several states, including West Bengal and Kerala), the Left was keen to have the Congress on board to put together a secular alternative. Asked about the Left Front’s position on the Trinamool Congress, its primary rival in West Bengal, Karat was dismissive about Trinamool’s plans. “We have to see what its attitude towards the BJP will be once the results are out,” he said, indicating he expected the party to support a BJP-led government if not join it.
Karat dismissed suggestions that the Congress would be wary given its experience of 2004, when the Left wielded its clout and withdrew support to the UPA government over the nuclear deal. “Realistically speaking, the Left’s strength and numbers are not that much. We are not thinking of playing a leading role; however, we may play some role,” he said.
Reminded that previous experiments of such Third Front-led governments raised questions over their long-term stability, Karat said: “Hopefully, lessons would have been learnt from 1996.” The then United Front government fell after the Congress withdrew support.
In February this year, the Left had got together 11 regional non-Congress, non-BJP parties in a bid to bring secular forces on a common platform. However, the AIADMK deserted them after party chief Jayalalithaa pulled out over differences on seat-sharing with the Left.
Nonetheless, the Left appears confident that secular regional parties would come together once the election results are out. Karat cited the example of the P Chidambaram-led Tamila Manila Congress, which was an integral part of the United Front government in 1996 but had fought the elections against some of the constituents.
Putting the onus on the Congress, the CPI(M) general secretary said, “It is for the Congress to decide what they want; do they want the BJP to form the government or do they want to form a secular alternative, because that is the only way to stop the BJP.”
Karat dismissed the notion that a dual power centre was unworkable. “When we were a part of UPA 1, it was quite amenable. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh as PM worked fine; the head of the party need not be the PM.” In fact, added Karat, “the combination of the two roles can be bad at times for democracy”.
Karat’s dismissal of the Prime Minister’s former press advisor Sanjaya Baru’s book seemed to echo the Congress party view. “Contrary to what Baru states, the Congress party stood with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the US nuclear deal issue.” Karat appeared to suggest that Baru wrote of events where he was not present or was a party to. “Baru’s book is a subjective one-sided account; in fact, a self-serving account.”
Conceding that the Left’s existence was threatened by communalism, Karat said communal forces often attract big money and that entails tickets being distributed to real estate mafia and mine owners. “We can't face this money power and in this sort of electoral politics, the Left gets squeezed out.”