BENGALURU: The Communist Party of India (CPI), which has fielded candidates in seven Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, has decided to back the Congress in 215 seats.
CPI has fielded candidates in Sira, Aland, Jewargi, Kudligi, Kolar Gold Fields, Madikeri and Mudigere. It will support the Raitha Sangha candidate Darshan Puttannaiah in Melukote where the Congress has also not fielded its candidate.
Both CPI and Congress leaders announced the decision at the Karantaka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office here on Sunday. “Our aim is to form a secular democratic left front and to defeat the BJP. We had approached the KPCC president in this regard and made a decision so that the state will get a stable government,” said CPI secretary Saathi Sundaresh.
AICC general secretary Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the CPI has a history of fighting for social justice, protection of the rights of the poor and oppressed classes, rights of the workers and the rights of the middle class. “Although Congress and CPI differ ideologically on many issues, our goal is the same....,” he said.