Congress accuses Kerala ruling party of courting BJP‑RSS votes ahead of bypoll
Kerala's Congressled United Democratic Front (UDF) alleged that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) is trying to secure Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) support for tomorrow's Nilambur Assembly byelection. There is also a controversy in the state surrounding CPI(M)'s past relations with the RSS and Jan Sangh, with the UDF alleging a continuing political nexus aimed at courting rightwing votes.advertisementThe UDF cited remarks made by CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan about the party's past cooperation with the RSS during the 197577 Emergency.In an interview with a Malayalam news channel earlier this week, Govindan said that 'during Emergency they came together with all likeminded people,' referring to a united opposition against the Congress in the 1970s.
Govindan later clarified the comment, saying: 'When Congress had declared Emergency, we were fighting against it. The Janata Party had people from all sides of life, not just JanSangh. They stood together to fight Emergency. This is history now being twisted by Congress and media for political gains.'Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan, however, said the remarks were a 'deliberate attempt to get RSS votes'. He accused the CPI(M) of having allied with the Sangh Parivar multiple times in the past, including in 1967 and 1989.advertisement'CPI(M) is trying to remind the Nilambur electorate that they had a very good relation with BJP and RSS during the period of Emergency,' Satheesan said. 'We know that there is a nexus between CPI(M), BJP and RSS in Nilambur. We will win by a great margin.'UDF candidate for Nilambur Aryadan Shoukath echoed these concerns, saying the CPI(M) had openly admitted in its political documents to having allied with the RSS-linked Jan Sangh in 'three or four states as early as 1967' to bring down Congress governments. 'The chances of such alliances being forged in the future are 100 per cent,' he said.LDF candidate M Swaraj, however, rejected the claim. Speaking to reporters, he stated: 'It was not with the BJP or the Jan Sangh, but with the Janata Party that the Left had joined hands decades ago.'He added that the Janata Party was a broad coalition of people with divergent ideologies who had united against the Emergency.Swaraj, a CPI(M) state secretariat member, also said that party icon and former Chief Minister EMS Namboodiripad had later made it clear that the Marxists did not want RSS votes, after concerns emerged that the Janata Party was under RSS influence. He further alleged that it was the Congress that later aligned with the RSS-backed Janata Party.advertisementHe said CPI(M) has consistently upheld secular values and opposed communalism, contrasting it with what he called the Congress's opportunistic alliances.Separately, Satheesan also accused CPI(M) of receiving support from communal outfits such as the PDP and Hindu Mahasabha, while labelling the Congress's former allies as communal only after they left the Left front. He also criticised the CPI(M)-led government for not taking a stand against the alleged politicisation of Raj Bhavan.'Our demand is that the Raj Bhavan should not be used for political and religious purposes. Unfortunately, the Chief Minister is keeping mum on this issue. He wanted to appease the Delhi masters,' he said.The Nilambur bypoll is scheduled for 19 June, with counting on 23 June.
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