Lok Sabha polls: CPI(M) alleges tie-up by Congress, BJP, Muslim League to defeat Left party in Kerala

CPI(M) has been alleging there was a "Co-Le-B alliance" against the Left party since 1991, but the Congress, BJP, and League leadership have denied it vehemently.

Kerala State Finance Minister K N Balagopal has alleged that the Congress, BJP and Muslim League have joined hands to defeat the CPI(M)-led alliance in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Referring to the alleged infamous political experiment of the Congress-Muslim League-BJP (Co-Le-B) tie-up in the Vadakara Lok Sabha seat in Kozhikode during the 1991 general elections, Balagopal, also a senior CPI(M) leader, alleged that its new version was being experimented at the gram panchayat levels ahead of the parliament elections next year.

Balagopal charged that the recent victory of the Congress at the Ummannoor Grama Panchayat, falling under his Kottarakkara Assembly constituency, with the support of the BJP was a clear indication of taking their "unholy ties" to another level.

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Putting an end to the Left rule in the panchayat, where the CPI(M)-led alliance has nine members in the 20-member council, the Congress and the BJP allegedly joined hands last week, and a representative of the Congress was elected as the panchayat president.

The election was necessitated when the panchayat president and vice president of the Left party resigned after two-and-a-half years to honour the Front agreement.

The LDF had an agreement with its allies to change the president and vice-president posts after two-and-a-half years during its five-years term.

"This unholy alliance was forged for the election of the president and the vice president, who resigned after two-and-a-half years as per the Front agreement," Balagopal, who is also a Central Committee member of CPI(M), said in a Facebook post.

The senior Left leader, in his July 26 post, alleged that it is evident that the Congress and the BJP were preparing for the "Co-Le-B alliance" like in the past.

"As Lok Sabha elections are nearing, the Congress and the BJP are preparing for the "Co-Le-B alliance" like in the past. This is an approach that the Congress should never take in today's scenario in the country," he said.

He said those who believe in democracy and secularism cannot accept the fact that the Congress has no hesitation in joining hands with the BJP, even as all the opposition parties are uniting at the national level to fight the saffron party.

"What is surprising to those who believe in democratic secular principles is that Congress has no hesitation in joining hands with the BJP when all the opposition parties are talking about uniting against the saffron party at the national level at a time when violence in Manipur is hurting India's reputation abroad," Balagopal said.

He asked the Congress and the BJP leadership to clarify their position in this "unholy political business".

The CPI(M) has been alleging that there was a "Co-Le-B alliance" against the Left party since 1991, but the Congress, BJP, and League leadership have denied it vehemently.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), is a key constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala.

During the 2021 state Assembly elections, senior BJP leader O Rajagopal had openly admitted that such an alliance had existed in the past.

"There were many instances of the Co-Le-B alliance. In certain seats, there were some adjustments. It was an open matter. Though all three were not together, they were independently supporting each other to defeat the CPI(M) and ensure votes for the BJP," Rajagopal had said.