Senior Left leader Prakash Karat today hit out at Narendra Modi, saying electing the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate in the forthcoming general elections “would mean encouraging capitalism and communalism in the country.”
Addressing a Left Front rally in Kolkata, the CPM General Secretary said, “When the elections will be held, then Modi and BJP will come to know where they stand in Odisha, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka.”
Mr. Modi is considered communally polarizing by the opposition for his alleged failure in preventing the communal violence in 2002 in which hundreds of Muslims were killed.
The Left Front rally today was held at the sprawling Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, the third political rally in the last 10 days. The ruling Trinamool Congress’ Mamata Banerjee held a rally at the venue on January 30 followed by Narendra Modi’s on February 5.
In his speech, Mr. Karat also accused Ms. Banerjee of hobnobbing with the BJP. “Modi at his rally welcomed Mamata. First she was with BJP, then with Congress and now again it’s her turn to tie up with BJP,” the 66-year-old leader said.
“Non-Congress, non-BJP parties need to get together and fight polls as Third Front,” Mr. Karat said.
Though a coalition of some regional parties and the Left has been formed to take on the Congress and the BJP in Parliament, a formal Third Front that fights the general elections together is yet to be announced.
“Modi at a rally spoke against the Third Front. He is still in first grade and we, who are part of the Third Front, are a grade above him,” Mr. Karat said.
