Political war of words between CPI(M) and Congress over RSS

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The battle for civic polls in Kerala hotted up with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy terming CPI(M)'s anti-BJP stand as "opportunistic", a charge Left leader Pinarayi Vijayan countered saying Congress had always showed a "soft" approach towards the saffron part.

Talking to reporters at Waynad during an election campaign, Chandy said CPI(M) used to change its policy and approach towards BJP in accordance with time.

Congress has never diluted its approach towards communal forces and had always stood against them, he said.

Taking a dig at CPI(M) for its "tie up" with Sangh Parivar during Emergency period, Chandy wanted to know from Vijayan where he was when his party "joined hands" with Jana Sangh in 1977 to fight Congress.

In reply, Vijayan justified his party's stand in 1977 saying, "the fight at that time was to restore democracy which was destroyed by proclamation of Emergency by then Congress government."

"Chandy should understand the mistake of emergency. It provided a platform for Jana Sangh to gain popularity in the country," he said.