The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has formally raised concerns with Congress leadership over allegations made during the Kerala Assembly elections suggesting a covert understanding between the CPI(M) and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Expressing strong objections in a letter addressed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, CPI(M) General Secretary M. A. Baby emphasized that these claims threatened the unity of opposition parties allied through the INDIA Bloc.
According to the letter, Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, repeatedly questioned why CPI(M) leader and then Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had not faced investigation or enforcement action, implying collusion with the BJP government. The CPI(M) argued these accusations formed the core of Congress’s campaign rather than isolated remarks made during the elections.
The letter highlighted the INDIA Bloc’s purpose as a broad coalition formed to counter the BJP politically, bringing together diverse parties that may otherwise compete in certain states. The CPI(M) called the allegations a “canard” that undermines the foundational trust required to maintain opposition coherence against the BJP.
M. A. Baby further pointed to the sacrifices made by CPI(M) cadres in Kerala, who had suffered violence fighting the RSS-BJP’s influence. He underscored that Kerala had maintained communal harmony under the Left Democratic Front’s decade-long governance, contrasting it with unrest in other states. This was presented as evidence of CPI(M)’s commitment to secularism and social stability.
The correspondence also singled out Rahul Gandhi’s public calls for enforcement agency action against Vijayan, questioning whether such demands reflected a genuine anti-BJP stance or risked enabling punitive measures from the Modi-led government against an opposition leader. The CPI(M) sought a clear response from Congress to resolve these tensions ahead of the INDIA Bloc’s scheduled meeting.
Despite these grievances, the CPI(M) assured ongoing collaboration with opposition parties in Parliament to challenge what it described as the Modi government’s authoritarian and divisive policies. Baby reaffirmed CPI(M)’s steadfastness in the united opposition effort, regardless of internal disputes over campaign rhetoric and accusations.