Twisting the acrimonious debate over the secret ties of the Left Democratic Front with the Jamaat-e-Islami further, the CPI state secretary, Mr C.K. Chandrappan, said he would not only welcome the vote of the Muslim outfit but also that of the RSS.
“Once you are a candidate in the elections, you should be willing to accept the votes of anyone,” he said. “The votes of Jamaat and the RSS are welcome. There is no untouchability in votes.”
Mr Chandrappan was reacting to reports that the CPI(M) state secretary, Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, had held secret talks with the Jamaat leaders. “Leaders of organisations meet each other in election season,” he said.
“This is nothing surprising and there is no need to debate this. Of course, there should be a debate if someone proposes that the Jamaat should be taken into the LDF. But there are no such plans.”
Chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan, however, disagreed with Mr Chandrappan’s take on the issue and said “it was the CPI’s opinion.” “As far as we are concerned, we have always stayed away from such organisations which try to divide people on religious lines and try to foment communal trouble,” he said in Kozhikode. “Our party state secretary has also said the same thing.”
Meanwhile, the Indian Union Muslim League leader, Mr P.K. Kunhalikutty, said that the CPI leader’s willingness to accept even RSS votes showed that the left democratic front had become desperate because of fear of defeat.