New Delhi, February 27 CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday for alleging that an "understanding" between the BJP and the Left party led to the renaming of Kerala, pointing out that she had served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
With elections to the state assembly slated for the coming months, Baby asserted that his party is "recovering" in West Bengal, which was once its stronghold but has been losing ground since it was dislodged from power by Banerjee's TMC in 2011 and currently has no representatives in either the state assembly or parliament.
"The upcoming elections will demonstrate... We are definitely going to improve the Left Front and CPI(M)'s electoral performance," he said at a press conference held after a meeting of the CPI(M) Politburo that discussed the upcoming assembly polls.
The Union Cabinet's decision on Tuesday to rename Kerala to Keralam had drawn Banerjee's ire, as her government's proposal to rename West Bengal to Bangla has been pending with the Centre for some time.
Responding to Banerjee's claim of an "understanding" between the BJP and the CPI(M), Baby pointed out that he "was a Central minister in a BJP government".
"Our comrades are fighting the RSS and BJP in Kerala to prevent their entry into mainstream state politics. To accuse the CPI(M) of having a deal with the BJP… she must be thinking that the CPI(M) is also like her," he said.
When asked about the Congress deciding to contest the West Bengal assembly elections alone, Baby said he does not want to comment on whether it is a "good riddance" or something "not positive".
The two parties had allied for the 2021 assembly elections, but both failed to secure a majority.
"For political parties to reach an understanding, it requires the willingness of all parties involved. Discussions and consultations could have taken place. Now, I don't want to comment on whether this is a good riddance or was something not positive," he said.
Baby said that the CPI(ML) Liberation will be a part of the Left alliance in West Bengal, and talks are underway with three to four other groups that may also join.
The CPI(M) Politburo appealed to the people of West Bengal to vote for the Left Front and defeat the "authoritarian, anti-women and anti-poor rule of the TMC and also the communal BJP".
"The BJP is spreading communal venom and exploiting every opportunity to promote divisions along religious lines. Various Muslim fundamentalist and sectarian forces are also active in the state and are trying to come together under the banner of fighting the BJP," the party stated.
"These kinds of religious consolidations will increase polarization and harm the democratic and secular character of society. The TMC is also trying to further such religious polarization to retain power," the party charged.
Regarding the CPI(M)'s plans for Kerala, where the CPI(M)-led LDF is in power for two consecutive terms and now faces a challenge from the Congress-led UDF and the BJP, which is seeking to establish a presence in the southern state, Baby said that candidates will be selected in the coming days, and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will lead the campaign.
He claimed that the UDF has been "mobilizing huge sums of money and rallying various sectarian forces in its support. It is disrupting the Assembly and outside by coordinating with the BJP. The BJP is also trying to expand its presence in the state by promoting communal divisions. Both these forces must be defeated," he said.
In a statement, the CPI(M) said that despite the constant efforts of the BJP-led Union government to strangulate the LDF government, it has focused on eliminating extreme poverty, making Kerala the first state in the country to do so, improving public health and education, and ensuring the protection of workers' rights and regular supply of essential goods through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
It has also ensured the distribution of pensions to all deserving individuals, the party said.
"Given this exceptional track record, we appeal to the people to vote decisively in favor of the LDF," the CPI(M) said.
Regarding the elections in Assam, where the CPI(M) will participate in the Congress-led alliance, the Left leader said they are in discussions for at least two seats, even though the party is requesting more.
"The BJP is running a rabidly communal and divisive campaign and is hoping to benefit from it. Considering the interests of the people of Assam, as the largest opposition party, it is upon the Congress to ensure that votes are not split and the BJP is defeated," said the CPI(M) Politburo statement.
The Left party also appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu to re-elect the DMK-led alliance, which includes Left parties.