CPI(M) writes to Kharge over Kerala poll campaign, flags INDIA Bloc unity ahead of June 8 meet
Synopsis
The CPI(M) has formally confronted Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over allegations that Pinarayi Vijayan had a 'deal' with the BJP — a charge the party calls a canard that undermines the INDIA Bloc's very foundation. With the alliance's next meeting set for 8 June, the letter puts Congress on notice: clarify or risk fracturing the opposition coalition from within.
Key Takeaways
CPI(M) General Secretary M.A.
Baby wrote to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge objecting to Congress's conduct during the Kerala Assembly elections .
Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi , Priyanka Gandhi , and Kharge allegedly claimed Pinarayi Vijayan had an understanding with PM Narendra Modi .
The CPI(M) called the BJP 'deal' allegation 'a canard' that 'strikes at the very basis' of INDIA Bloc unity.
The letter criticised Rahul Gandhi for urging the ED to act against Vijayan, questioning whether that constitutes an anti-BJP stance.
The CPI(M) has demanded Congress clear the air before the INDIA Bloc meeting on 8 June 2025 .
Despite the dispute, the party reaffirmed full parliamentary cooperation with the INDIA Bloc against the Modi government .
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has formally written to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, strongly objecting to the Congress party's campaign conduct during the Kerala Assembly elections and warning that allegations of a CPI(M)–BJP 'deal' strike at the foundation of the INDIA Bloc. The letter, signed by CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby, was sent ahead of the INDIA Bloc meeting scheduled for 8 June.
The Core Allegation
Baby recalled that during the Kerala polls, senior Congress leaders — including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Kharge himself — repeatedly alleged that CPI(M) senior leader and then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had struck an understanding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The charge was framed as: 'Otherwise, why is it that he has not been interrogated or arrested by the Enforcement Directorate?'
'These were not stray remarks made in the heat of an election campaign, but were the centrepiece of your political campaign. Every national leader, Rahul Gandhi, Shrimati Priyanka Gandhi, and you, made such allegations repeatedly,' Baby wrote.
What the CPI(M) Says It Stakes
The party reminded the Congress that the INDIA Bloc was constituted as a broad platform to politically fight the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), bringing together parties of diverse ideologies who are otherwise electoral rivals in several states. The letter argued that accusing a fellow opposition party of colluding with the BJP 'strikes at the very basis of the unity forged against the BJP.'
The CPI(M) also pointed to its own record, noting that hundreds of its cadres had been 'martyred in Kerala in the fight against the RSS-BJP' and that during the ten years of Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule in the state, there had been no communal riots. 'This vouches for our commitment towards secularism and safeguarding communal harmony,' Baby noted.
The Rahul Gandhi–ED Demand
A pointed section of the letter criticised Rahul Gandhi for repeatedly calling on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to take action against Vijayan. 'Can this be termed as an anti-BJP stance, or is it a case of inviting the Modi government to take illegal punitive action against a fellow opposition leader?' Baby wrote, framing the demand as inconsistent with the bloc's stated purpose.
The Call to Congress
The CPI(M) urged Kharge to 'clear the air regarding such disruptive moves' before the 8 June INDIA Bloc meeting, stating that the matter needed to be addressed in that forum. 'Unless these matters are clarified, the very purpose of the INDIA Bloc would be in question,' the letter warned.
Despite the sharp tone, the party affirmed its commitment to parliamentary cooperation with the INDIA Bloc, pledging a united fight against what it described as the 'authoritarian, communal, and anti-people policies' of the Modi government. 'The CPI(M) will never be found wanting in this task despite all the attacks and distortions,' Baby concluded.
What Happens Next
The 8 June INDIA Bloc meeting now carries added weight, with the Congress expected to respond — publicly or privately — to the CPI(M)'s demands for clarity. How the bloc's leadership navigates the Kerala fault line could signal how much internal strain the alliance can absorb before the next electoral cycle.
Point of View
But the precedent: if the Congress can campaign on a 'deal with BJP' narrative against an alliance partner in one state, every regional ally faces the same risk in its own backyard. The INDIA Bloc has always been a coalition of convenience held together by anti-BJP arithmetic, not ideological alignment. The CPI(M)'s demand for a formal clarification tests whether the alliance has any internal accountability mechanism — or whether it is simply a press-conference arrangement that dissolves under electoral competition. Congress's response, or silence, will tell the bloc's smaller constituents exactly how much the umbrella is worth.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the CPI(M) written to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge?
The CPI(M) wrote to Kharge to formally object to Congress's campaign during the Kerala Assembly elections, in which senior Congress leaders allegedly claimed that then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had a secret understanding with PM Narendra Modi. The party called these allegations a 'canard' that undermines INDIA Bloc unity.
What exactly did Congress leaders allege during the Kerala elections?
According to the CPI(M) letter, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Kharge repeatedly alleged that Vijayan had struck a deal with Modi, citing the fact that the Enforcement Directorate had not arrested or interrogated him. The CPI(M) described these as the 'centrepiece' of Congress's political campaign, not isolated remarks.
What is the significance of the 8 June INDIA Bloc meeting?
The CPI(M) has explicitly asked Congress to address its concerns at the INDIA Bloc meeting scheduled for 8 June, warning that unless the allegations are clarified, 'the very purpose of the INDIA Bloc would be in question.' The meeting is now a key test of whether the alliance can manage internal friction.
What is the CPI(M)'s position on the INDIA Bloc going forward?
Despite its objections, the CPI(M) has affirmed full cooperation with the INDIA Bloc in Parliament to oppose what it calls the 'authoritarian, communal, and anti-people policies' of the Modi government. The party said it 'will never be found wanting in this task.'
Why did the CPI(M) criticise Rahul Gandhi's calls for ED action against Vijayan?
The CPI(M) argued that urging the Enforcement Directorate — a central government agency — to act against a fellow opposition leader is inconsistent with an anti-BJP stance and effectively invites the Modi government to take 'illegal punitive action' against the opposition. The party framed it as a contradiction at the heart of Congress's position.
