Pinarayi asks INL not to contest on its own

Reminds party of its long association with LDF

Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has called upon the Indian National League (INL) not to contest the Lok Sabha elections on its own.

In a statement here on Friday, Mr. Vijayan said the INL was a political movement that a long association with the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF). It had fought alongside the LDF against the ‘anti-people’ policies of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the ‘communal fascism’ of the BJP, he said.

The INL had demanded inclusion in the LDF as a constituent. Forward Bloc, which has been working to strengthen Left unity at the national level, too had held discussions with the LDF and put forward certain demands. The LDF State committee did discuss the INL’s demand along with those of the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) and Janadhipathya Samrakshana Samiti (JSS) and decided that the alliance should request these parties to cooperate with the LDF for the time being and discuss other issues later.

The INL should give up its decision to contest the polls on its own seeing that the LDF’s victory in Kerala was necessary to keep both the BJP and the Congress out of power at the Centre. In this context, the JSS decision to leave the UDF and work for LDF’s victory was a positive development, which was a major blow to the UDF. The move would also help in political polarisation in the State.

Forward Bloc’s case

The Forward Bloc too had decided to contest in some seats. However, they have now decided not to go ahead with that decision and work for the LDF’s victory. The LDF had appealed to all movements to come out in its support in its battle against the economic policies of the Congress and the Hindu ‘fascist’ agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party. All these movements should rally behind the secular and anti-fascist position of the LDF, Mr. Vijayan said.