Congress should focus on safeguarding MLAs in K'ntka: CPI(M)

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's ruling CPI(M) aimed a light kick at the Congress party, saying that it should safeguard all its newly elected MLAs from the octopus hands of BJP in Karnataka, PTI reported.

CPI(M) alleged that Congress is weak and incapable of dealing BJP singlehandedly. It proposed a state-wise alliance to defeat BJP in the 2024 general elections.

"A national-level alliance will not be helpful. We need to unite all the anti-BJP groups at the state level and defeat the BJP in each state. That is the only way forward," CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also suggested something similar the day before.

According to Govindan, the contention that Congress was the only party capable of taking on the BJP was "only an argument".

"Everyone who knows Congress knows that Karnataka was the only state where they could contest polls effectively. The other states where they can are Gujarat, Rajasthan and some similar states.

"But there, too, the Congress is in a weak position. Even now, they have internal conflicts," he argued.

He said that Congress should focus on deciding on a Chief Minister and cabinet ministers for Karnataka while remaining careful and vigilant against any alleged attempts by the BJP to poach their MLAs.

"Everyone knows that the BJP has the wherewithal to buy MLAs. It happened in Goa amidst the then ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra," he said.

Govindan asserted that the BJP was the biggest threat, and the people wanted to defeat it. Therefore, all anti-BJP groups should come together to defeat it as one, he said.

In Goa, eight of the 11 Congress MLAs who won last September defected and joined the ruling BJP months into the Assembly elections.