`Defeat BJP’ is CPM’s one-point agenda — Surjeet

While accusing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam of jumping on to the BJP bandwagon without any valid reason, he denied the DMK leaders’ charge that the Left parties started criticising the DMK in public without first seeking clarification from the DMK on the political compulsions to join hands with the BJP. It all began with the DMK supporting the Vajpayee Government over the confidence motion, he said.

DMK’s argument thatit did not tie up with the BJP but became a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance was not acceptable, Surjeet said. He, however, declined to brand the DMK as communal. Despite the DMK coming closer to the BJP, the political base of the party has remained in tact, he said, adding even at this stage “what we expect of the DMK leadership is to realise the blunder and come out of the BJP fold without any further damage to its character.”

Arguing that both the DMK and AIADMK are secular in character, the CPM leader said it was imperative that the BJP which did not believe in the unity and integrity of the country should be defeated at all costs. Asked whether the CPM will align with the Congress and AIADMK to build an anti-BJP, antiDMK front in Tamil Nadu, he said at this stage he did not want to spell out the contours of the political front or fronts preferred by the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

In the task of taking on the BJP-DMK combine, all democratic forces should come under oneumbrella, but “it is not for me to identify the secular forces and tell their leaders what is to be done.”

For example, “as Moopanar knows how to deal with the emerging political situation, it will be impertinent on my part to tell him not to be part of this front or that front.” It was not a question of forging fronts, but the issue centered around defeating the communal forces from registering a victory at the hustings, Surjeet explained.

The 13-month Vajpayee regime failed on all fronts – there were concerted attacks on the minorities; Article 356 was sought to be misused violating the federal spirit of the Constitution; foreign policy has been messed up, he charged.

In the event of the Congress forming a government at the Centre, will the CPM extend its support from outside or participate in the Ministry? It is too early to discuss such eventualities, the Marxist leader said. Responding to a question on the dynasty factor in Congress leadership, he said Congress workers had the right to choosethe leader they sought.

In this context, his counter argument was that there was no inner party democracy in any bourgeois party. Is there any inner party democracy in the BJP, he asked.