NEW DELHI: Unease seems to have been brewing between the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Congress over its former president Rahul Gandhi’s re-nomination from Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala. Hitting out at the Left party, the senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said the CPI is complaining about Gandhi’s candidature in Wayanad and ironically ‘playing the BJP’s game’ in Thiruvananthapuram.
Former union minister and the Congress candidate from Thiruvananthapuram, in a post on the micro-blogging site, said that the only effect of the CPI’s campaign against him in the constituency is to divide the anti-BJP vote.
“It’s ironic that the same @cpofindia that complains about @RahulGandhi’s candidature in Wayanad is playing the BJP’s game in Thiruvananthapuram. The only effect of the CPI’s campaign against me in Thiruvananthapuram is to divide the anti-BJP vote. And they preach alliance dharma in Wayanad!,” Tharoor posted on ‘X’.
Retorting to Congress leader’s scathing remark, the CPI general secretary D Raja condemned Tharoor stating that he should understand politics and the history of Kerala properly as it is the communist movement, which has been fighting the communal fascist forces and the communal forces consistently in the country and state.
“I considered the statement (of Tharoor) as an absurd statement. Mr Shashi Tharoor is considered to be a well-read educated man; he should understand politics and the history of Kerala properly. It is the communist movement; the Left which is fighting the communal fascist forces; right wing forces consistently. Mr Shashi Tharoor should look at his face in the mirror, who are the people leaving the Congress party and joining the BJP. Does he try to teach a lesson to communists? We are the consistent force in the country continuing to fight the fascist communal forces and critics of RSS-BJP combine,” said Raja.
The Congress and the CPI are part of the opposition coalition group-- Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)-- but in Kerala they are contesting against each other as part of the rival state blocs - United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Tharoor, a three-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram is seeking re-election from the same seat. He is facing BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Electronics and Information Technology while the CPI has fielded Pannian Raveendran from the seat.
Criticizing Tharoor, the CPI veteran further said that the Congress should explain Gandhi’s candidature from Wayanad against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) if the party is fighting against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“Tharoor should understand that if somebody divides the vote, I can’t accuse him why he contests Thiruvananthapuram, go and contest somewhere else. I can tell this in the case of Rahul Gandhi also. He claims that he has been spearheading the campaign against the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). But when it comes to electoral battles, why go to Wayanad and fight against the LDF and Left. The Congress party should explain what the message they want to convey to the people across the country. Who are their primary and political enemies?,” said Raja.
His wife Annie Raja is CPI’s candidate from Wayanad. D Raja further said that it is Congress’ style of functioning which is causing the party’s downfall.
“Why are they making such statement? Do they want to create some kind of anti-left mood in the country? The Congress party is facing such a decline; Mr Shashi Tharoor should try to explain instead of blaming the Left. It is their own politics; it is their style of work, which has brought the Congress party to this level. They should understand,” Raja said.
Last week, D Raja had said that fielding Gandhi Wayanad is the Congress’ prerogative but the public opinion is that a leader of his stature should have contested a seat where he could directly challenge the BJP.
