CPI(M) Accuses Rahul Gandhi of Aiding Modi Government Amidst INDIA Bloc Tensions

NEW DELHI – The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, asserting that his recent statements concerning Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan are tantamount to assisting the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Modi government. This strong condemnation from CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby underscores deepening fissures within the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, an opposition coalition formed to counter the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The controversy ignited after an INDIA bloc meeting held on June 8, where Gandhi reportedly remarked that he 'cannot and will not' hug Pinarayi Vijayan due to an 'ongoing political fight' in Kerala. Gandhi emphasized the need for flexibility within the alliance while acknowledging internal battles. He also highlighted a 'full-scale assault' on the opposition, aimed at portraying it as weak and disorganized.

In response, M.A. Baby vehemently refuted Gandhi's stance, stating, 'Nobody is asking Rahul Gandhi to hug Pinarayi Vijayan.' Baby clarified that the CPI(M)'s primary concern is for Gandhi to 'stop being a facilitator for the ED and the Modi government by demanding the arrest of Pinarayi Vijayan and other opposition leaders.' He stressed that such actions do not align with the role of a leader of the opposition.

This exchange reveals long-standing tensions between the Congress and CPI(M), particularly in Kerala, where they are fierce electoral rivals. During the recent Assembly elections, Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, had systematically campaigned with allegations that the CPI(M) and BJP had struck a 'deal' in many constituencies. Furthermore, they repeatedly called for ED action against then-Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, questioning why he had not been interrogated or arrested despite corruption charges.

CPI(M) leaders contend that these accusations were not merely 'stray remarks' but formed the 'centrepiece' of the Congress's election campaign in Kerala. John Brittas, a CPI(M) Rajya Sabha leader, raised these concerns during the INDIA bloc meeting, pointing out that while criticism from state-level Congress leaders might be understood in the context of local politics, similar remarks from national leadership carry significantly different political weight. He argued that such statements undermine the very purpose of the INDIA alliance, which was formed to present a united front against the BJP.

Pinarayi Vijayan himself echoed these sentiments, criticizing Gandhi's political approach for not strengthening the INDIA alliance and, in fact, often helping the BJP. Vijayan remarked on a photograph of Gandhi hugging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that his objection was not to the act itself, but to the political message it conveyed and how it reflects Gandhi's view of the INDIA alliance. He indicated that other major non-Congress parties, including Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav, also raised objections during the meeting regarding the Congress's position.

The CPI(M) has consistently maintained its commitment to fighting the RSS-BJP ideologically and politically, highlighting that hundreds of its cadres have been martyred in Kerala in this struggle. They have also pointed out their consistent opposition to the misuse of central agencies against opposition leaders, making Gandhi's call for Vijayan's arrest particularly hypocritical in their view. The party’s Polit Bureau had previously strongly disapproved of what it termed 'provocative statements' by Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge against the Kerala Chief Minister and the CPI(M)'s secular credentials, accusing them of spreading 'canards' for 'cheap electoral gains'.

This internal discord, further highlighted by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) initially boycotting the June 8 meeting over perceived betrayals by the Congress in Tamil Nadu, suggests a significant challenge for the INDIA bloc in presenting a cohesive opposition narrative. While the CPI(M) has assured cooperation with the INDIA bloc in Parliament, the ongoing public spat indicates deep-seated mistrust and conflicting strategies among alliance partners, which could potentially hinder their collective objective against the BJP.