A meeting of the central committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) held here on Friday decided to extend political support to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election.
The decision was ratified by PDP chairman Abdul Nasir Maudany, a release issued here by party State general secretary V.M. Aliyar said.
The challenge to democracy being raised by the BJP-led fascist regime was the most critical issue in this election. Preserving the Constitution, secularism, and diversity was more important than anything for the future of the country. The country’s economy was in tatters under the BJP rule. Public-sector enterprises were being signed off to corporates. Constitutional institutions were in the grip of fascism. Unemployment and price rise had worsened. The government itself was propagating communalism and hatred with scant regard for the survival issues of the people. Attempts were being made to divide the people by enforcing the Citizen (Amendment) Act. Projects were being envisaged to convert a secular nation into a theocracy, the statement said.
In these circumstances, the PDP found it critical to strengthen the support for the Left front, which was engaged in an uncompromising fight against fascism, the statement said. That the Left had recognised the existence and ideology of the PDP and gave it an opportunity to take part in the democratic process had also prompted the decision of the party.
Political alternative
For long, the PDP’s political stance had been aligned with the Left secular block since it offered the best political alternative to Sangh Parivar and fascism. The PDP had in the past disagreed with many policies and views of the LDF and that democratic disagreement would continue, the party said in the Statement.
The country remained hopeful of the attempts being made by the INDIA bloc made of secular parties to create a political alternative to the BJP. The PDP central committee and the election committee concluded that the Left front, which did not compromise with the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, needed to remain as an important party in the country. The political stance of the PDP went beyond mere electoral politics, but was a part of its ideological commitment, the statement said.
It was the need of the hour that the Left secular block gained strength and made a strong comeback to defeat the BJP through the INDIA bloc to win back democratic India. Realising this, the Kerala society should back and ensure the victory of the Left.
Campaign for LDF victory
PDP workers would launch a strong popular campaign for the victory of the LDF in this critical election. Since the political threat being raised by the BJP in some constituencies was a threat to the general political landscape of Kerala, collective efforts would be made to ensure that the secular votes against fascism did not get divided and was galvanised in support of the Left.
Later, PDP vice-chairman Varkala Raj inaugurated the meeting held to announce the party’s political stance during the Lok Sabha election. Kochi Mayor and CPI(M) leader M. Anilkumar was among those who attended the meeting.
