"Discussions are in final stages...": CPI(M) on INDIA bloc over seat-sharing talks

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], January 30 : Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said INDIA bloc will be able to make common candidates in most of the states and the discussions are in the final stages.
"In most of the states, we will be able to make common candidates and the discussions are in the final stages...Assessment is happening between the parties. In Bengal, if INDIA allies get together it will be beneficial for the BJP because there is huge anti-incumbency..," he said.
He further asserted to make efforts to further strengthen the opposition coalition, INDIA bloc amid Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar severing ties to realign with BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in Bihar.
"In Kerala, the Congress party is adopting a negative and anti-democratic approach to the LDF government and making baseless allegations against the Chief Minister. It keeps silent on the Centre's assault on the rights of Kerala which helps the BJP in its maneuvers against the state government. The people of Kerala will reject this disruptive approach to the Congress party," he added.
Yechury reaffirmed solidarity with the INDIA bloc asserting to continue activities to defeat the BJP during a press meet held at Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
The party's central committee convened in Thiruvananthapuram from January 28 to 30. Apart from seat-sharing talks, discussions were also held on the Ayodhya temple inauguration and Lok Sabha elections among other issues.
Speaking on JD(U) breaking ties with the INDIA bloc, Yechury said, "Despite the JD(U) deserting the INDIA bloc and collaborating with the BJP, the CPI(M) will make all efforts to further strengthen this formation and continue the activities to defeat the BJP to safeguard the secular democratic character of our Constitutional Republic."
"The focus is to complete the ongoing state-level talks on seat-sharing between its constituents at the earliest and then proceed to reach out to the people based on core issues that are aimed at improving their livelihood and defending Constitutional values," he added.
Alleging the Ayodhya Ram Temple inauguration was a "state-sponsored event", Yechury said that it sounded "the death knell of secularism".
He accused it of being a direct violation of the fundamental principle of India's governance adding that the state under the Constitution should have no religious affiliation or preference upheld by the Supreme Court.
"The Temple inauguration at Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, has virtually sounded the death knell of secularism, defined as the separation of religion from the State, administration and politics," Yechury said.
"The whole programme was a state-sponsored event directly involving the Prime Minister, UP Chief Minister, UP Governor, and the entire state machinery. Both the President and Vice President of India sent congratulatory messages to the Prime Minister variously hailing him as having 'redeemed a pledge', "India's tryst with destiny in its civilizational trajectory" etc."
"The whole function was a direct violation of the fundamental principle of the governance of India as reiterated by the Supreme Court, which is that the State under the Constitution should have no religious affiliation or preference," the CPI(M) general secretary said.
Yechury further alleged BJP of politicising the event in the run-up to the parliamentary elections.
"This was an event directly aimed at political and electoral gains. The RSS/BJP mounted a massive nationwide campaign in the run-up to this event."
"Public screenings of the live telecast were organized at various places on giant screens. Educational institutions were closed for the day. All Central government offices were shut till 2.30 pm to facilitate the participation of employees. So was the case with many public sector institutions and organizations including banks," he said.
"It is planned to mobilise people to visit the temple from every state and Parliamentary constituency. This will be spaced out till March 2024, i.e., till the eve of elections," Yechury added.
Yechury upheld CPI(M)'s policy respecting religious beliefs which is a personal choice.
"The CPI(M)'s policy has been to respect religious beliefs which are the personal choice of every individual. The Party has steadfastly upheld the right of every individual to pursue their faith. But at the same time it has consistently opposed the efforts to misuse and convert people's religious belief as an instrument for political gain and merging religion with the State," he said during the press meet.
Analysing the recent assembly elections in five states, Yechury attributed the BJP's victory to "Hindutva communal consolidation and exploitation of caste sentiments."
"In the last two rounds of the Assembly elections, the BJP registered victories in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, while Congress won in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana amongst the major states that went to polls," Yechury outlined.
"BJP's victories were mainly due to the consolidation of the Hindutva communal vote combined with a pernicious exploitation of caste sentiments," he added.
"Hindutva communal consolidation must be confronted in a forthright manner. The recourse to competitive soft Hindutva and pale saffron positions only lead to further strengthening the hold of Hindutva on significant sections of the people. This provides the RSS/BJP and all other Hindutva outfits the opportunity for further communalizing the society and targeting the minorities."
He further claimed that the BJP is unsure of the outcome of parliamentary elections and accused it of "misusing central agencies and power."
"Despite the blatant misuse of religious sentiments generated centring around Ayodhya and these recent electoral victories, the BJP appears to be unsure about the outcome of the 2024 elections," he said.
"BJP has resorted to brazen and aggressive misuse of the ED and money power to engineer defections among the opposition parties ruling in states and forging alliances with former rivals hoping to improve its Lok Sabha electoral prospects. It has done this earlier in Maharashtra, later in Karnataka, and now in Bihar, the JD(U) has set an inglorious record of the largest number of flip-flops," he added.
"Nitish Kumar was sworn in for a record 9th time as CM of Bihar, this time with BJP support. The people in these states, who had defeated the BJP, will teach such turncoats a lesson," Yechury said.
He called the Centre's push to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) ahead of general elections as a divisive tactic to polarize communities and consolidate support.
"Since December 2019, the Modi government has not framed the Rules under this Act. Now, on the eve of the general elections, it is pushing for its implementation intending to further sharpen communal polarization and hoping to reap electoral gains, particularly in Eastern India," he said.
Speaking on the Kerala government's Nava Kerala Sadas programme, Yehchury said, "The Central Committee congratulated the people of Kerala and the LDF government for the highly successful programme of Nava Kerala Sadas. This is a unique programme undertaken by any state government in the country."
He further criticised the Kerala governor for "over-stepping all boundaries".
"Governor- Unfit for the Post. The Kerala Governor has over-stepped all boundaries with his constant political attacks on the elected state government and his grossly erratic behaviour. The latest has been his sit-in on the Kerala roads ostensibly to protest against a perfectly democratic and peaceful student demonstration," he said.
"In an unprecedented fashion, he sought and procured protection from Central security forces with the highest permissible security cover for himself. His statements like "beginning of the collapse of the Constitutional machinery" are threats levelled against the state government which will be rejected outright by the people of the state," he added.
"The Central Committee congratulated the youth of Bengal on the successful Insaf Yatra that marched across the state culminating in a massive brigade rally," he said.
"The one-party dictatorial BJP government in Tripura is intensifying its fascistic terror attacks casting serious apprehensions for holding free and fair elections. The CPI(M) cadres are being targeted and this is being resisted," the CPI(M) leader said.
He further asserted that efforts to forge alliances with like-minded parties for the upcoming elections are underway, with discussions nearing conclusion in most states.
"All state units should continue to intensify the struggles against growing unemployment, price rise and assaults on people's livelihood by the policies of the Modi government," he said.
"The Central Committee expressed solidarity with the call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the joint platform of Central Trade Unions for a country-wide protest action on February 16, 2024," Yechury said.
"Given the widespread concerns over the functioning of the EVMs, the Party will campaign across the country that there should be the following re-sequencing of the electronic units in the polling booths - voting units, control units and VVPAT. At least 50 per cent of VVPAT must be tallied with that recorded in the control unit," he added.