Caught between ideology and arithmetic - CPM in bind over SDPI ‘backing’

Kozhikode: The CPM's long claimed- `anti-communal' credentials are being put to a gruelling stress test the Kerala assembly elections as the party struggles to reconcile its ideological opposition to the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) with the electoral arithmetic of regaining lost ground in the Muslim community who had in the previous Parliament and local body elections voted against it.CPM is in a bind as the party had consistently described the SDPI- widely seen as the political offshoot of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI)- as a fundamentalist and extremist outfit. The resolution of the Party Congress held in Madurai reiterated this position, warning against the growing influence of organisations like SDPI and Jamaat-e-Islami among Muslim communities.Yet, on the ground, the party appears unwilling or unable to firmly reject SDPI's support in the ongoing elections.Though SDPI had not made a public announcement yet, it has decided to support LDF in seats where it is not contesting and has publicly extended support to the CPM in Nemon constituency where CPM candidate and education minister V Sivankutty is locked in a high-profile battle against BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Also, SDPI withdrew its candidature in Mankada constituency in Malappuram which is seen as a move to help the LDF and has also refrained from fielding candidate in Vengara, where LDF has fielded independent candidate Sabah Kundupuzhakkal who had previously contested as independent with SDPI support in the 2021 elections.CPM leaders including state secretary M V Govindan were seen struggling at media interactions to answer questions on whether the party would reject the support from SDPI including in the publicly declared support in Nemom.It came to an embarrassing head on Thursday when Govindan, responding to a question on whether the SDPI was an extremist organisation, said that several factors needed to be examined before any clarification could be made.Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, too, has sidestepped direct responses, reiterating instead the CPM's "consistent stand against both majority and minority communalism" while denying that the party had sought SDPI's backing.For the CPM, the political compulsions are pressing. The party has faced a significant erosion of support among Muslim voters, as reflected in the last Lok Sabha and in the local body elections in December, where there was a clear consolidation against it. In such a scenario, even a tacit support from SDPI offers a potential opening- both electorally and symbolically- to counter the perception of a complete disconnect with the community which has a 30 percent demographic strength.Sources indicate that leaders of two parties have conducted secret talks ahead of the elections leading to a carefully calibrated move in which SDPI would extend support the CPM and also field candidates in some constituencies- the party has 32 candidates in the fray- with the aim to split Muslim votes which would have otherwise gone to the UDF especially in seats in Malabar.But the CPM cannot overtly admit any understanding as it risks alienating sections of Hindu and Christian support base, which remains crucial to its electoral prospects.SDPI leaders, for their part, have maintained a measured stance. State president CPA Latheef told TOI said the party had taken a decision on whom to support and has conveyed it to the cadres. The party has however decided not to make it public."We have a strong organisational network and can communicate our decisions internally," he said, adding that the broader objective would be to defeat the BJP and that the support would be provided to a single political front," he said.Latheef also dismissed suggestions of strong anti-incumbency against the LDF, arguing that while there may be criticism on certain issues such as policing, there is no negative sentiment on the government's record on welfare and development.On CPM fielding Karayi Rajan, who is an accused in the 2006 murder of NDF worker Mohammed Fazal, at Thalassery, Latheef said that the matter was before the court.The situation has also revived criticism from civil society voices. Writer and political commentator MN Karassery questioned the CPM's moral position, pointing to past instances of political violence involving SDPI like murder of SFI leader M Abhimanyu of Maharaja's College who was killed in 2018 over painting of ‘Down with communalism' graffiti'."Any form of electoral engagement risks legitimising and mainstreaming the organisation. The election will be over on April 9, but the scars inflicted on the society will remain forever," he said, adding that the ruling front, in particular, must exercise greater caution.