Lok Sabha elections: Enemy turns frenemy, Rahul Gandhi cosies up to CPM

KALPETTA

: H aving already done all the damage he could do to the Left by deciding to contest from Wayanad, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who filed his nomination papers here on Thursday, sought to belatedly mollify the Left by proclaiming that he was "not going to say a word against the CPM".

Speaking to media persons at SKMJ High School ground after an impressive roadshow with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in tow, Rahul said his contest from Wayanad was to send across a message of unity that India is one. Addressing "my brothers and sisters of the CPM", he said, "I know that CPM and Congress are locked in a fight in Kerala and this fight will go on. But I want to make it very clear to my brothers and sisters in Kerala and to my brothers and sisters in CPM, I understand that the CPM has to attack and that they have to fight, but I am not going to say a word against the CPM. I am here to send a message for unity and to send a message that south India is important."

The CPM and other Left parties had questioned the rationale behind Rahul's contesting from Wayanad, pointing out that it only reflected a lack of commitment on his part in strengthening democratic and secular forces in their united fight against the Modi regime. Asked about the relentless attack by CPM against his candidature in Wayanad, Rahul said "I will absorb all their attacks with happiness".

Even while going soft on CPM, Rahul lashed out against PM Narendra Modi and the RSS, alleging that they were carrying out a "cultural attack" in the country and an assault against the idea of south India and northeast. "Seeing the manner in which Modi and RSS are working, many people have a feeling that their language, culture and history are under assault. So, I would like to give the message by contesting from north as well as south. India is a land of diverse ideologies and language and all of them are important," Rahul said.

"There are two main issues faced by the country today, lack of jobs and crisis faced by farmers. Farmers do not have a good perspective of what the future holds for them. Youngsters are running from state to state looking for jobs and Narendra Modi has failed on jobs and he has failed on farmers," he said.