The Congress on Saturday accused the Left Democratic Front of employing double standards by continuing to partner in the government with the Janata Dal (Secular) which has entered into a national alliance with the BJP. It pointed out that there is a dichotomy between the LDF’s professed stand against the Sangh Parivar and its forbearance of the “pro-BJP“ JD(S) in the government.
However, JD(S) State leaders said the national alliance has not diluted their staunchly secular anti-Sangh Parivar and pro-Left stance in Kerala.
Leader of the Opposition V.D.Satheesan demanded that the CPI(M) oust the JD(S) from the LDF if there was any sincerity in its anti-BJP stance.
“The Kerala CPI(M) is even reluctant to join the broader INDIA alliance of Opposition parties against the BJP. The State unit is compelled not to take an anti-BJP stance due to the compromises that it had arrived at in the various corruption cases. It can be suspected that the JD(S) national leadership forged an alliance with the BJP with the knowledge of its State leadership. The Kerala unit did not exert any pressure to correct the national leadership although there were speculations over the past month on such an alliance,” said Mr. Satheesan.
Amid speculations about the future of the JD(S) State unit, party’s State president Mathew T.Thomas had made it clear on Friday that the State unit would not be part of the alliance with the BJP. On Saturday, Water Resources Minister K. Krishnankutty too reiterated the stand, expressing hope that the national leadership will give the State unit the freedom to act independently. The JD(S) State committee, which is set to meet on October 7, will take a final decision, he said.
“We cannot cooperate with the BJP under any circumstances as our party’s origins can be traced to opposition with the BJP. In Karnataka, after the Assembly elections there arose a particular situation in which the Congress maintained that it won’t have any truck with the JD(S), following which it moved into an alliance with the BJP. But, the Kerala unit will continue to be with the LDF and will continue to oppose the economic policies of the BJP and Congress,” said Mr. Krishnankutty.
The JD(S) was formed in 1999 under H.D. Deve Gowda as a breakaway faction from the Janata Dal when a faction led by the the Karnataka Chief Minister J. H. Patel forged an alliance with the BJP.
