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Finally, the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), specifically the Congress party, has announced their resolution not to accept support from the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI), in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
LoP V D Satheesan and M M Hassan, UDF convener and acting Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (AICC) President, told the press conference on April 4 to reveal the ‘late wisdom’.
They have put forth a hollow excuse, equating majority communalism with minority communalism. Then comes the justification: Then comes the justification: Votes are cast in individual capacity. Voters have the freedom to vote for their own pleasure. The say, they want vote from all voters. But, their stands towards organisations are different, they claim!
It looks like SDPI’s offer of support to UDF is part of a CPM game plan. If Congress keeps mum, they (CPM) can propagate that UDF is pro-SDPI. If Congress and UDF say that they do not need SDPI’s support, the minority vote bank may desert them. In both ways, CPM is the gainer.
Meanwhile, both Congress leaders attacked CPM for raking up the ‘flag issue’ in connection with Rahul Gandhi’s road show on April 3 in Wayanad. They said that last time, the BJP raked it up, and now Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is taking it up.
It is to be remembered that during the election campaign last time, Indian Union Muslim League’s (IUML) flag was construed as Pakistan flag and Rahul had to face sharp criticism in North in this regard. There are reports that it affected Congress very badly and even resulted in the erosion of their vote bank in some places in the North. Therefore, neither Congress nor IUML carried any party flag during Rahul’s road show on April 3. Both BJP and CPM had ridiculed the pathetic situation of Congress, stating that they cannot carry their own party flags even during the programme of the scion of the party’s first family.
But IUML immediately shot back, stating that CPM has to tie its party flag with the Congress flag in Tamil Nadu. He ridiculed the CPM’s pathetic condition of being a mere Kerala party and alleged that it speaks the language of the BJP.
Both Congress and IUML are at receiving ends due to the flag issue. Congress rank and file are often demoralised when BJP and CPM exposes its unenviable position due to IUML links. In the meantime, IUML is attacked by other Muslim organisations and also some former IUML people who have taken refuge in Left parties.
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