CPI(M), BJP hit out at Congress over SDPI’s support in Lok Sabha polls
CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan terms SDPI the latest entrant to the purported CongressLeagueBJP cabal. BJP State president K. Surendran dares Rahul Gandhi to comment on the organisation’s support for his party
ers believe that the trauma of the 2010 PFI attack on a college teacher on the charge of blasphemy arguably remains etched in the community’s psyche.
Tactical alliance
The Congress can perhaps heave a sigh of relief that SDPI State president Muvattupuzha Ashraf Moulavi has denied any tactical alliance with the Congress. “It was for the Congress to accept or reject SDPI’s backing,” he had said.
The Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front also attempted to read the political tea leaves in the SDPI’s decision not to contest the
Lok Sabha polls in Kerala.
However, both fronts seem to have little to forebode. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the SDPI fielded candidates in 10 constituencies in the State but failed to affect the electoral prospects of legacy political parties.
Despite the stigma of its alleged association with the PFI, the SDPI has often been a coat for all seasons for opposing fronts. The LDF and UDF have not denied striking tactical alliances with the SDPI at the local body level.
However, the SDPI’s declaration of support has rendered the Congress vulnerable to criticism from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan termed the SDPI the latest entrant to the purported CongressLeagueBJP (CoLeBi) cabal. LDF Independent legislator K.T. Jaleel dared the Congress and the IUML to say no to SDPI votes.
Congress stance
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the Congress had no truck with any radical organisation that held extremist views.
“Nevertheless, why should the Congress reject the belief that it was the sole bulwark against the Sangh Parivar,” he asked.
Mr. Satheesan said the CPI(M) viewed organisations through the prism of political expediency.
“For one, the CPI(M) attacked the Welfare Party of India and the JamaateIslami as Islamist outfits after they backed the Congress against the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls,” Mr. Satheesan said.
BJP State president and the party’s candidate from Wayanad K. Surendran dared incumbent MP Rahul Gandhi to comment on “the patently antiChristian PFI front organisation’s support” for the Congress.