Cong short-sightedness cost Gujarat: Karat

But the Congress shot back at the criticism saying Karat 8220;should have come and held meetings in Gujarat.8221;

8220;It could be his Karat8217;s opinion. But where was the CPI M8217;s Prakash Karat. He should have come and held meetings in Gujarat. He should have extended support,8221; AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh said.

Karat in his article further said that 8220;on the contrary, the predominant attitude has been to avoid raising anti-communal issues on the plea that it will help the BJP to polarise the people. This is a short-sighted and harmful approach.8221;

Karat said that the 8220;lesson from Gujarat is that deep-rooted communalism cannot be fought just by momentary electoral tactics, however well designed.8221;

8220;Success in the electoral battle requires taking the battle for secularism firmly forward with no quarter given to communal politics. This, in turn, requires the mobilisation of the working people through struggles. After all, they are the victims of the right-wing communal politics which serves the regime of big capital.

This two-pronged struggle has to be carried forward by the Left and democratic forces and all those genuinely committed to secularism,8221; Karat said.