The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State secretariat reportedly inveighed against Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener E.P. Jayarajan for appearing to give the impression that the ruling alliance was keen to include the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in its fold.
Soon after assuming charge, Mr. Jayarajan stirred controversy by seeming to suggest to a television interviewer that the LDF was not averse to opening the door for the IUML. The interviewer had asked Mr. Jayarajan a hypothetical question about welcoming the IUML to the LDF.
Mr. Jayarajan reportedly told the party that he gave the stock response that strengthening the coalition was the LDF convener's priority. The media had misinterpreted the statement as an open invitation to the IUML. It had drawn a wrong conclusion. In a FB post, Mr. Jayarajan had clarified that he had not invited the IUML.
On Thursday, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member A. Vijayaraghavan indicated that Mr. Jayarajan's comment was not per the party's State conference approved line. Without specifics, Mr. Vijayaraghavan merely said the party's policy on the matter had not changed.
What transpired at the close door CPI(M) secretariat meeting largely remained confidential. However, by some accounts, few members reiterated that the CPI(M)'s policy was to expand the LDF's acceptance and not invite particular parties into the coalition.
Several Congress leaders had aligned themselves with the CPI(M) 's political programme and policy. Political influencers and opinion leaders were welcome, not organisations.
Few secretariat members postulated that Mr. Jayarajan's remark had served to sow confusion in the United Democratic Front (UDF).
The CPI(M) had successfully fielded IUML and Congress defectors in Assembly elections. Such experimentation to rally minorities under the red flag should continue to counter the rising tide of Hindu majoritarianism.
Some members reportedly expressed the CPI(M)'s scepticism that few in the IUML leadership had off late shown a radical tilt by allegedly drawing closer to the Jamaat-e-Islami ideology.
Communist Party of India State secretary Kanam Rajendran said on Thursday that LDF's expansion was not on the ruling front's immediate agenda.
