The cracks within the opposition INDIA bloc have become more pronounced as CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby has opted out of the crucial meeting scheduled for Monday in New Delhi. The Left party has demanded a clarification from the Congress regarding its allegations of a nexus between the Left and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala.
CPI(M) Seeks Clarification on Congress Allegations
According to party sources, CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby will not attend the meeting, and Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas will represent the party instead. In a letter addressed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on June 5, Baby expressed his concerns over the repeated attacks by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on the CPI(M) during the Kerala assembly elections.
Baby wrote, 'I have been informed by KC Venugopal about the meeting of the INDIA bloc parties to be held on June 8. In this connection, I would like to cite a recent political development that occurred during the Assembly elections. There was a systematic campaign by the Congress leadership during the Kerala elections claiming that the CPI(M) and the BJP have struck a deal.'
He further added, 'It was alleged that CPI(M)’s senior leader, member of the Politburo and then Chief Minister comrade Pinarayi Vijayan had also struck a deal with Modi. The question was posed, “Otherwise, why is it that he has not been interrogated or arrested by the ED?”' The letter comes amid an ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe against Vijayan in a graft case.
INDIA Bloc Meeting Under Scrutiny
The INDIA bloc meeting is being closely watched as it is the first gathering of the alliance since December 2023. Since then, the bloc has suffered setbacks, losing the Lok Sabha elections and winning only two of the 14 subsequent state elections. While parties like the Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Samajwadi Party are expected to attend, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has announced its absence, calling the Congress’s decision to ally with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) a 'betrayal'.
Previous Tensions Within the Bloc
Earlier, during the Parliament's Budget Session in March, CPI(M)'s John Brittas and CPI's P Sandosh Kumar had objected to Rahul Gandhi's speech at a Congress function in Kerala, where he attacked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The two MPs argued that such remarks by a national Congress leader could weaken the coherence of the INDIA bloc, emphasizing that the Left parties are integral to the alliance.
The growing discord within the INDIA bloc raises questions about its unity and effectiveness as a political front against the ruling NDA.
