CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury has questioned Rahul Gandhi’s decision to contest from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat and the Congress’ intent to defeat Narendra Modi and the BJP. The Left and the Congress have historically fought against each other, and have not aligned in Tripura and West Bengal either.
ThePrint asks: Why do Left parties expect Congress to make all the sacrifices to defeat Modi in 2019?
Rahul Gandhi’s reason to contest from Wayanad is unclear unless he thinks Congress can’t retain the seat
Nilotpal Basu
Leader, CPI(M)
The CPI(M) has made its position abundantly clear, time and again, and has stuck by it.
Our agenda includes three broad points. One, we want to defeat Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Second, we want to increase the CPI(M) tally in the elections and maximise our seats in Parliament. Finally, we want to work towards formulating a secular government at the Centre.
There is an unsaid agreement among the secular opposition parties that we must defeat Narendra Modi and the BJP in 2019. It is for Congress president Rahul Gandhi to answer how contesting from Wayanad in Kerala fits into the Congress party’s plan to defeat Modi. What is their priority? Whom do they really want to take on? And what is the kind of message they want to send out to the public?
Historically, Kerala has largely been a contest between Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front. It is for Rahul Gandhi to clarify whether he thinks the Congress would not be able to retain their seat in Wayanad unless he himself contests. If the party can win with any candidate, then what is compelling Rahul Gandhi to contest?
The CPI(M) released its list of candidates three weeks ago. And we have offered cooperation across several states to ensure we achieve our goal: defeat Narendra Modi. Since the Congress is a national party supposedly meant to defeat Modi, then it is for them to explain this move.
If CPM really wants to fight the fascist forces, it should withdraw the candidate from Wayanad
P.C. Vishnunadh
Secretary, All India Congress Committee
During P.V. Narasimha Rao government, the Telugu Desam Party did not field a candidate against him so that they could fight the fascist forces. In the same way, if the CPM is so committed to fighting the fascist forces, it should withdraw its candidate from Wayanad. The party is not ready to make any sacrifices.
Take a look at Karnataka’s Tumkur, where we sacrificed our sitting MP to make way for H.D. Deve Gowda, and there too the CPM has fielded a candidate. Even in Chikkaballapur, the CPM knows it will not win but has still fielded a candidate against M. Veerappa Moily. In West Bengal, the Left Front has only two seats while we have four, and yet the CPM is refusing to reach a compromise. They said they will give us just six seats. Why won’t they make any sacrifices?
By taking a stand like this, they are actually helping the BJP. If they are so committed to fighting the BJP, then let them make a few compromises. The CPM has no national perspective and they are doing this only to save their government in Kerala.
In 2004, they were the kingmakers under Harkishan Singh Surjeet. Surjeet joined hands with all the secular forces to form a government against the BJP. By 2014, their popularity had decreased and they were reduced to single digits. After the 2019 elections, they will be down to just three to four seats.
They have no stand but they are making statements against Rahul Gandhi when they should be fighting the BJP. They are playing opportunistic politics.
Despite Left’s sectarianism in dealing with other parties, it is Congress that must take the blame this time
Aditya Nigam
Professor of Political Science
The fact is that the Congress is making no sacrifices anywhere to defeat Narendra Modi in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Be it in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh or West Bengal, the Congress has wrecked the possibility of an alliance everywhere — or for that matter even seat adjustments — against Modi and his BJP. Rahul Gandhi’s decision to contest from Wayanad against a CPI-LDF candidate rather than choose a BJP constituency is part of the same pattern.
So, despite the Left Front’s general sectarianism in its dealings with other parties, it is the Congress that must take the lion’s share of the blame this time.
The Left Front is not without blemish. It must also take responsibility for conducting an endlessly unproductive debate on whether or not to have an understanding with the Congress. By posing the question in irrelevant, bookish terms like “is the Modi-BJP rule fascist?’, the Left actually ended up producing a false equivalence between itself and the Congress.
Really, can one seriously argue that unless this Modi regime is “proved to be fascist” beyond any doubt, it will be illegitimate to build alliances to seek its defeat? Partly, the Left Front’s problem is that it is no longer taken seriously by other political parties, after having lost its earlier parliamentary presence and the earthy wisdom of leaders like Jyoti Basu and Harkishan Singh Surjeet.
Also read: Not just a ‘safe seat’ for Rahul Gandhi, Congress sees Wayanad as key to its southern revival
Rahul Gandhi and Congress are underestimating the threat Modi government poses to the very fabric of our country
Umar Khalid
Former JNU student, associated with Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Students’ Organisation
Generally speaking, I have not been an admirer of Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s methods and his politics. His failure to form any meaningful alliances for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is testament to how the Congress simply doesn’t see these elections the way a lot of us do.
For people who have been affiliated with movements challenging the Narendra Modi government, this election will determine the future of this country. It is this election which will determine whether it is the Constitution that will continue to govern our country or if some customised Modi-nama will replace it. A lot is riding on this election, and the people who have been affected by the anti-people policies of Modi government know it all too well.
But clearly, the Congress has different priorities. Their failure to forge an alliance in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and down south shows that they are more interested in their organisational priorities rather than saving our democracy.
For instance, they aren’t supporting a candidate like Prakash Raj in Bengaluru on a seat that the Congress has been otherwise losing. While Prakash Raj will still win the elections, the Congress lost out on a brilliant opportunity to support him and send out a positive message.
Rahul Gandhi and the Congress are underestimating the threat that the Modi government poses to the very fabric of this country. I wouldn’t say they are being treated by other parties unfairly. In fact, I would say it is the Congress that has failed to lead a united opposition and give a tough fight to the Modi government.
CPM is worried about BJP eating into its vote share and is trying to create an anti-Congress feeling
G. Pramod Kumar
Political commentator
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has tried to skew the public opinion with the argument that the Congress’ fight was not against the BJP but against the Left Front. Vijayan is trying to emulate former CPM general secretary EMS Namboodiripad, who was a master at changing the political narrative.
CPM is Congress’ bete noire in Kerala, not the BJP. Congress president Rahul Gandhi will target the CPM as his main rival whether or not he contests from Kerala. His contesting the election doesn’t alter this reality. So far, he has been kind and has treated the CPM with kid-gloves.
Moreover, Wayanad is one of the safest seats for the Congress across India. It’s also a stronghold of the Indian Union Muslim League, a long-lasting partner of the Congress.
The CPM has raised its pitch because it is worried about losing Kerala, its last bastion. Several media opinion polls have said the Congress may win 16 of the 20 seats this time. And if there’s an undercurrent on Sabarimala, then the CPM may lose its Hindu vote to the BJP. So far, the perception has been that it’s the Congress that suffers with a rise in BJP’s vote-share. Now, the CPM may find itself in the mix too.
Rahul Gandhi contesting in Kerala will certainly create some pro-Congress/UDF buzz that will further affect the CPM’s chances. By skewing the narrative that the Congress is not serious about fighting the BJP, the CPM is trying to woo the minority voters, but I don’t think it will work.
By Fatima Khan and Rohini Swamy.
Ms Brinda Karat raises a valid question. If a safe seat was required from the South, why not Karnataka, where the Congress party’s adversary is the BJP ?