Team News Riveting
Congress is contesting the West Bengal election with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) that slammed Rahul Gandhi for his speech in Kerala where both the parties would be up in arm against each other.
Call it political opportunism or an irony, two political parties would be jointly fighting elections in one state and would enter into an ugly battle against each other in another state. In Kerala, Congress is the main rival of the ruling CPM. Both Kerala and West Bengal are going to the polls in April.
Just five days ago, the Congress’ relation with its West Bengal ally plumped new depths with CPM trading insults on Rahul Gandhi in Kerala at the most colourful hues. Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s state visit and the speeches that were highly critical of Left parties, the CPM issued an official statement castigating the Congress leader and alleging that his addresses resembled that of a BJP recruit.
Congress’ choosy stand against communists has landed the party in a fresh debate. The senior party leaders concerned to “strengthen” and revamp the organization had expressed their reservation over the decision taken without deliberation.
“Congress cannot be selective in fighting communalists but must do so in all its manifestations, irrespective of religion and colour. The presence and endorsement [of] West Bengal PCC President is painful and shameful, he must clarify,” Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma had said.
Questioning Chowdhury’s decision to align with parties like Furfura Sharif cleric Abbas Siddiqui’s Indian Secular Front (ISF), Anand Sharma went on to add that such steps were against the “core ideology of the party and Gandhian and Nehruvian secularism, which forms the soul of the party”.
Such decisions must be ratified by the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body in the party, Sharma said on Twitter.
