All secular forces need to join hands to defeat BJP: Yechury

Meanwhile, after Sitaram Yechury’s comments, the BJP has criticised the CPI(M) for dubbing it as the number one enemy.

Calling a “broad secular front as the need of the hour”, the Communist Party of India (CPI)(Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday urged all the secular and democratic forces to come together to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Delivering the inaugural address at the 23rd party congress — which is being attended by at least 906 delegates — in Kannur (north Kerala) CPI (M) general secretary Sitarama Yechury said, a broad secular front is needed to dislodge the BJP. (PTI)

Delivering the inaugural address at the 23rd party congress — which is being attended by at least 906 delegates — in Kannur (north Kerala) Yechury said, a broad secular front is needed to dislodge the BJP.

“The BJP is number one enemy of the party and the country. It has to be isolated and defeated. It is undermining all the constitutional bodies and selling off PSUs one by one. All secular forces should come together to dump the party driven by the Hindutva ideology,” he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP has criticised the CPI(M) for dubbing it as the number one enemy. “The CPI(M) doesn’t believe in democratic principles, nationalistic thoughts, doesn’t subscribe to pro-poor policies or religious beliefs,” said minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan.

“Hindutva communalism let loose by Sangh Parivar and its outfits can be combated by championing uncompromising secularism. All political parties that proclaim secularism should rise to the occasion to discharge their patriotic duty. A broad secular front is the need of the hour,” Yechury said.

The Congress party, main opposition in the country, will have to do enough rethinking on its secular position and credentials on a number of issues and must set its house in order, he added.

Muraleedharan said that the party general secretary agrees that there is not a single Dalit in highest decision-making body of the politburo but it still calls the BJP an upper class party. He said 12 members of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi cabinet are from SC/ST communities.

Earlier in the day, Kerala chief minister (CM) Pinarayi Vijayan hoisted the party flag at the meeting venue.

The four-day conference is expected to take a call on the party’s approach towards the Congress and also elect new politburo and central committee members, who in turn will choose the new general secretary. Yechury is likely to continue as the general secretary. The meet is also expected to approve the maximum age limit of 75 for all office-bearers and induct more women in the central committee, a senior leader said on anonymity.

Though the central leaders are interested to form an alliance with the Congress to set up an alternative, the powerful Kerala unit is opposing the move vehemently.

The state is facing intense criticism over its recent big ticket project K-Rail and decision to attract private investment in higher education sector. The state unit had formulated a vision document for “Nava Keralam” (new Kerala), dealing with new development perspectives. The party has come out with the K Rail project at a time when it is fiercely opposing Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train. A senior leader admitted that these issues will be discussed threadbare at the meeting.

BLURB At least 906 delegates will be attending the four-day conference in Kannur