MV Govindan, the state secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M), has suggested that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should consider contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rather than competing with parties aligned with the INDIA alliance, including the CPI(M).
In the context of the potential for Rahul Gandhi to re-enter the electoral fray in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Kerala's Wayanad, Govindan emphasized the importance of choosing the right opponent. He stated, "Rahul Gandhi should contest against BJP. He should not stand for election against a political party that's part of the Indian alliance. What message does it send when he contests against the Left in Kerala?" The CPI(M) leader urged strategic thinking in selecting adversaries to convey a clear political message.
Furthermore, Govindan highlighted the CPI(M)'s electoral setback in the Bhadra constituency of Rajasthan, attributing the party's loss to a shift in Congress votes towards the BJP. While the CPI(M) secured over one lakh votes, the Congress's vote share witnessed a substantial decline from 37,574 to a mere 3,771, with the remainder presumably contributing to the BJP's electoral triumph.
Govindan, reiterating his stance, previously emphasized that Rahul Gandhi, the Congress MP from Wayanad, should concentrate on countering the "fascist policies" of the BJP rather than engaging in intra-state political rivalries. He recommended that Rahul Gandhi select a constituency where the BJP holds significant influence, underlining that the BJP is not a prominent political force in Kerala.
Echoing similar sentiments, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan indicated that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) would field a candidate in Wayanad, the potential electoral battleground for Rahul Gandhi. Vijayan asserted, "Congress will have to decide whether it is fighting the BJP or the LDF while fielding Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad in the Lok Sabha polls next year." This observation underscores the strategic implications of candidate selection and alignment with the overarching political goals of countering the BJP in the upcoming elections.
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