AAP targets Left parties in Kerala, West Bengal

Even as BJP is worried over the Aam Aadmi Party’s reach among its middle class base, the Left parties are waking up to the problems Arvind Kejriwal’s party could add to their crisis-torn existence in Kerala and West Bengal.

CPM, in particular, was first given a notice of this AAP challenge when party leader Prasanth Bhushan made a courtesy call on veteran Marxist leader VS Achuthanadan in Kerala. VS is also known to be an old friend of Bhushan’s father Shanti Bhushan. While Bhushan Jr said he was there only to seek the advise of VS in view of the AAP’s national plans, the visit had its implications.

The last couple of days saw many rebels from CPM and pro-VS Left leaning personalities expressing a desire to join AAP. The first it was Sarah Joseph, a left-leaning writer and activist who had backed many of VS’s activism. After her, KM Shajahan, a former political aide of VS, too has expressed his plans to join AAP.

More significantly, a rebel CPM outfit founded by slain leader Chandrashekharan (again a VS supporter) and now led by his widow is reportedly in talks with the AAP for an alliance.