Political-tactical line of CPI(M) 'self-contradictory': Raja

CPI leader D Raja today termed the political-tactical line of the CPI(M) "self-contradictory" and said it was "impossible" to maximise rallying anti-BJP votes without any understanding with the largest opposition party -- the Congress.
He said it was not possible for left and democratic forces to defeat the BJP all alone, without the Congress.
"The tactical line of the CPI(M) is self-contradictory. If they want to maximise the pooling of anti-BJP votes without any understanding with the Congress, that is not possible. How can they say that they want to defeat the BJP but not have any understanding with the largest opposition party Congress," Raja told PTI.

The CPI(M) in its draft political resolution, released today, has said that the main task of the party will be to defeat the BJP and its allies by rallying all secular and democratic forces, but it has to be done without having any understanding or political alliance with the Congress party.
"If they can cooperate with the Congress inside and outside Parliament, it means the Left is having an understanding with the Congress against the BJP," he said.
Raja said that in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress is the main force to defeat the BJP, left and other democratic forces will have to have an understanding with the Congress.

He also highlighted the fact that in the last assembly election in Bihar, the Left went all alone, but it was the RJD-JD(U)-Congress alliance which defeated the BJP.

The Left leader emphasised that the need of the hour is to have a state-specific tactical line and the CPI(M) should understand the political situation in the country.
"That is what we are pointing out. There can be difficulties in some states. But this can be addressed at that point of time keeping in mind the specific political situation prevailing in those states. The CPI(M) should understand that there is need to chalk out state-specific electoral-tactical line," Raja said.

The CPI leader said that keeping in mind the future of the country, the Left should try to have the broadest possible platform along with all democratic parties at the national level to defeat the BJP.
"We should try to have the broadest possible unity of all left, secular and democratic forces in which obviously there will be a place for the Congress," the Rajya Sabha member said.