New Delhi: The CPI(M) on Tuesday appealed to all non-BJP chief ministers to come together and help stop further erosion of rights of states by the BJP government at the Centre. The move is reminiscent of a similar conclave in 1984 when 16 parties had come together to take on Indira Gandhi over federalism.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, while accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to impose an “autocratic” rule on the country, said all non-BJP chief ministers should together protect the federal structure of the Constitution.
“It doesn’t fit with parliamentary democracy at all,” Mr Yechury said.
The party has been maintaining that the government was interfering in a state’s right to maintain law and order through central agencies.
“If you want simultaneous polls for state Assemblies and Parliament then why not abolish Article 356,” he said.
In 1984, which was also an election year, a 16-party alliance which included the Left, Telegu Desam and the National Conference had come together in Kolkata to forge an alliance to save federalism.
The Opposition is again trying to cobble together an anti-BJP alliance in the run-up to the 2019 General Elections.
Interestingly, the Left parties have decided to organise separate protests to mark the first anniversary of demonetisation and its economic fall out.
Though the Congress and parties like Trinamul Congress and Sharad Yadav faction of JD(U) announced a joint protest calendar, the Left parties will decide on a schedule on Wednesday.
It might be recalled that Mr Yechury has been facing internal battles in his party over a political-tactical line of aligning electorally with the Congress and other Opposition parties.
When questioned on this stance, Mr Yechury quoted Leon Trotsky to say that the Left parties believe in “marching separately and striking together.”
