CPI-M to fight communalisation 'seriously'

New Delhi: In the wake of BJP garnering substantial gains in the recently held Kerala bypolls, CPI-M Tuesday said the Left party has decided to fight the alleged communalisation by the saffron outfit "very seriously" in the state which goes to polls next year.

Speaking to mediapersons after the party's two-day politburo meeting here, CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury also said that the party's Tripura unit was examining BJP's rise where it dislodged Congress as runner up in Pratapgarh and Surma Assembly bypolls last month.

CPI-M suffered defeat at the hands of Congress in the bypoll for Aruvikkara Assembly segment in Kerala recently.

However, it was BJP candidate O Rajagopal who sent shock-waves by gaining 34,145 votes.

"Apart from individual merit of the BJP candidate concerned, there is a stronger appeal for communal forces in Kerala and amongst Kerala people which is a very ominous development which needs to be fought.

"So, we have decided the fight against communalism and all expressions of fundamentalism will be taken up very seriously by the party," Yechury said.

CPI(M) will take "ideological" and "organisational" steps to ensure people are not swayed on the basis of emotions being whipped up by communal forces in Kerala, he said and observed that communalisation is not in the health of people Kerala, which has a record of being a "harmonious" state.

In the bye-elections in Tripura for two Assembly segments, CPI-M registered over 60 per cent votes polled.

"Yes, BJP was the second party, trailing far behind. But nevertheless they have replaced the Congress. If at all, there is growth of communal appeal behind these results, that the Tripura committee is examining. We are awaiting that report," Yechury said.

The Rajya Sabha MP said the "worst possible vote bank politics" being played by BJP is not in the interest of "any state or the country".

"And against this, we shall strengthen our entire work opposing that amongst the Indian people," he added.