THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said no one with a balanced head would go for an alliance with Congress in Kerala. He was responding to the invite given by Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan to join the UDF. The CPI state secretary said the draft political resolution is being finalised and would be discussed at the national executive committee meeting scheduled to take place in Vijayawada next month. The final decision on the issue of having any kind of alliance with secular parties, including Congress, will be taken at the party Congress to be held in Kollam, in 2018.
Mr Radhakrishnan had extended invitation on Sunday reminding the CPI of the “golden era” in the state when the two parties were in the same front. It was not late to think about a similar coalition in future, he had pointed out. Mr Rajendran’s strong reaction has raised eyebrows since the CPI national leadership has all along maintained that a broader front against the BJP led government at the centre which was implementing the ‘fascist’ agenda with the backing of Sangh Parivar, was the need of the hour. Though the party is in favour of taking all secular and democratic forces including Congress on board for a broader front, it is not hopeful of a united opposition emerging ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
A section of the CPI leaders say the Congress has a pan-India presence being the biggest opposition party and has a role to play. However, there is also a view in the party that the Congress has lost its capacity to fight the BJP alone. Moreover the experience of past three years indicates that the Congress was not serious enough to fight the communal forces, they say.
