Kerala's exposed terror links with Kashmir militants are set to upset the electoral strategies of the CPI(M), targeting the Muslim vote bank in the state.Comrades here had been dreaming big on the anti-imperialistic sentiments of the Muslim community in the post-nuclear deal scenario. Many Muslim leaders, too, had sounded that the deal would be a key agenda in the next elections.But the appalling revelations about the militant network in the state has brought terrorism to the forefront of political discussion. Going by all indications, the issue would be a hot electoral topic for the first time in the state.Setting the tone for the poll agenda, Indian Union Muslim League state secretary Dr M K Muneer on Wednesday said his party did not want the votes of the National Development Front, a right wing Muslim outfit facing serious allegations in the unfolding terror drama. The League is a constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front in the state.“Muslim militancy would be a major issue in the next election. Hence, political parties’ stand on home-grown militancy would be a crucial factor in winning the votes from Muslims and non-Muslims alike,” said a CPI(M) MP from Kerala.In every respect, terrorism as a poll agenda would put the CPI(M) in a piquant spot. The failure of the state police intelligence to detect that local youths were being recruited into the militancy would add to the already weighty anti-incumbency factor. Some CPI(M) leaders in Ernakulam district are under the police scanner for their alleged role in derailing the probe into a SIMI meeting on the eve of Independence Day in 2006. This would put the party on the defensive as the Government had reopened the case recently.Terrorism as an electoral agenda would also spoil CPI(M)’s electoral understanding with various organisations. The party has been planning to ensure support from several fringe Muslim outfits, especially the People’s Democratic Party, floated by Abdul Nazer Madani, acquitted in the Coimbatore serial blast case. Three weeks back, Madani had told the media that his party wanted to contest from the Ponnani LS seat on the Left platform. “Our Ponnani plan had been conveyed to the top-brass of the Left Democratic Front and PDP had activated its party machinery in Ponnani,” Madani then said.LDF convener Vaikkom Vishwan denied Madani’s claim. But, neither the CPI(M) nor the LDF had so far refuted Madani’s claims of a poll tie-up.During the 2006 state election, the CPI(M) had played the Madani card to the hilt to win Muslim votes. Posters of Madani, then languishing in jail, had been lavishly used along with those of Communist stalwarts.Now, the PDP is facing terror charges. Slain militant Abdul Raheem and his absconding aide Ummer Farooke were PDP men. More from PDP have fallen into the police net.The CPI(M) would now find it embarrassing to join hands with the PDP. Such a move would serve as ammo for the Congress and BJP in their battle against the CPI(M). Making matters worse for the Left, the BJP has already raised allegations about a senior CPI(M) leader’s link with the NDF. Besides, the Madani-CPI(M) bonhomie is likely to go sour if the state orders a re-investigation into the burning of the Tamil Nadu state-owned bus by PDP activists near Kochi in 2005. The bus was burnt in retaliation to that state’s opposition to Madani’s bail plea. One of the militants killed recently was among the nine accused in the case.Intelligence sources said a close kin of Madani had instigated the PDP activists to hijack the bus at knife point and later set it on fire. Despite incriminating evidence police had not even questioned her. A fresh probe into the role of Madani’s kin in the bus blaze case is likely to drive a wedge between the two parties.
