INDIAN Communists ruled out a political alliance with the secular opposition Congress Party during their annual congress at the weekend.
 
Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPI-M) political committee member Brinda Karat said the party would continue to work with regional secular groupings on mutually agreed issues but there would be “absolutely no political alliance with the Congress Party.”

The CPI-M underlined its commitment to avoid alliances with parties of the “ruling class” on the grounds that they would weaken struggles to build a political alternative.

Ms Karat said Congress “is a party of the ruling classes and represents corporate interests.”

She was speaking at a press conference after the party’s political resolution was agreed unanimously at the five-day congress in Hyderabad which concluded today.

The redrafted motion took into consideration a minority view presented by newly re-elected general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who favours a broad alliance against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

It followed calls by some in the party’s ranks for an alliance with Congress after Mr Modi’s right-wing, Hindu chauvinist BJP swept to power in Tripura, West Bengal. Congress leaders have publicly called for such an alliance.

However Ms Karat insisted that the CPI-M was united and that the resolution gave a “clear enunciation” of the party’s line. 

She said that, while the party was ready to reach an “understanding” with Congress, its priority was to defeat Mr Modi’s ruling coalition.

“BJP is now the main party representing corporate interests. It is in government following aggressive neoliberal policies started by … Congress and it is led and controlled directly by a fascistic organisation, the RSS,” she said.

Around 20,000 people turned the streets of Hyderabad red today as they marched to the closing rally of the CPI-M congress at the city’s Saroor Nagar stadium.