Posters criticising the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and claiming that “Marxist Katchi” (“Marxist Party”) would fight the Parliamentary elections alone created confusion in the city on Monday.
The posters with “hammer and sickle” symbol and the party name “Marxist Katchi” apparently confused the city residents who took them for having been pasted by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which has a considerable presence in Madurai district, especially in the city.
CPI (M) clarifiesCPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan said it was the handiwork of a former CPI (M) man Gangadharan, who was expelled from the party a few years ago. “We have nothing to do with the posters and the mischievous work of Mr. Gangadharan,” he said.
The party’s Madurai urban district secretary B. Vikraman said he had been receiving phone calls about the posters since morning and have been clarifying the callers and asserted his party had no role behind the posters.
Curious passers-by were seen stopping their two-wheelers near the Collectorate for a moment to read the posters in which “Marxist party to fight it alone … in Madurai Parliamentary Constituency” were printed prominently in big fonts.
“It has been deliberately done to create confusion among the voters in Madurai,” he said.
The “hammer and sickle” is a common symbol of the Communist movement worldwide, he clarified.
The posters said the party would fight the Lok Sabha elections alone to defeat the “communal” BJP. They were critical of the AIADMK front for having “rendered injustice” to government employees, pensioners, workers and farmers.
Besides, they came down heavily on the Congress for a host of issues – increase in the prices of essential commodities, Aadhaar, Sri Lanka and corruption. The posters pulled up the DMK too for having supported the Congress.
Mr. Vikraman said the CPI (M) central committee decided to fight the elections across the country with other Left, democratic and secular parties. “That holds good for Madurai too,” he said.
The Left parties have shown keen interest on fighting the election with the AIADMK in the State.
