‘The writing on the wall is - people want the secular forces to come together against BJP’, says Sitaram Yechury

‘Except Assam, where the difference of vote between BJP and secular parties was miniscule, in all the other States the BJP has come a cropper’

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury speaks to The Hindu on the joint Opposition efforts on COVID-19 and farm laws, says it is for the parties like the BSP, the AAP and the Chief Ministers of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to answer on why they aren’t standing with the rest of the Opposition against the government. He cast aside the fears that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will overshadow the party. During the course of the first wave, 21 parties had a virtual meeting following which we came up with a joint memorandum suggesting measures that the government must immediately take - including direct cash transfers and free food for the vulnerable sections. The government, of course, has never responded to any of our letters whether written jointly or individually. Steps that ought to have been taken last year were not taken and we are paying the price for it. On the questions of saving people’s lives and their livelihood, there is a commonality between the Opposition parties. In the time of the pandemic where physical consultations can’t take place, it takes a little longer to reach out to every one either through virtual meetings or phones. But in my mind, it is absolutely necessary for the parties to come on one platform to hold the government accountable.