Political understanding emerging to defeat BJP at Centre, says CPI

Mr. Raja said the leadership issue could be decided after the Lok Sabha election as the Opposition had managed such political scenarios in the past too

While maintaining that a political consensus has started emerging on the “necessity’’ to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Communist Party of India general secretary D. Raja on Monday said Opposition parties should not put conditions on leading a front against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance.

“It is true that a political understanding is slowly emerging to defeat Mr. Modi. But every political party, including Congress, has to do some serious introspection because it is a new situation. Political situations are different in States. The main goal should be to defeat BJP in the next election and the leadership role could be considered at a later stage,” Mr. Raja told The Hindu on the sidelines of national council meeting which is currently under way in Puducherry.

Asked about the message from the Congress’s plenary about the grand old party’s desire to head the Opposition alliance, the CPI leader said, “Congress is a pan-India and secular party. Every political party has to take a realistic position. But our party is certain that since a political understanding to defeat BJP has emerged, there will not be any difficulty in having electoral arrangements at the time of elections.”

Mr. Raja said the leadership issue could be decided after the Lok Sabha election as the Opposition had managed such political scenarios in the past too. A broad political consensus had emerged in the country that continuance of the BJP at the Centre was a “threat” to the democratic and secular fabric of the country. A political alternative has to emerge to stop the country from becoming a theocratic State, he added.

The infringement on the rights of the States and extra constitutional powers exercised by Governors in the BJP-ruled States were issues political parties can use to rally against the BJP, the CPI leader said.