Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Apr 13: Left parties CPI and CPIM are not contesting the Karnataka legislative assembly elections this year.

The parties said that the decision is taken to defeat the BJP by preventing the division of votes for the non-BJP parties.

If the lef parties contest, then it will be advantage for the BJP as the votes of non-BJP parties will get divided. Especially, in the districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, left parties are trying to ensure that the votes are not divided based on caste or religion.

A meeting is slated to be held at Townhall of the city on April 18 by CPIM and CPI. There is a possibility that the left parties will declare that they are not fielding any candidates in this election during the meeting. However, both parties will be active in election propaganda and also polling. Their aim is to defeat BJP.

Sunil Kumar Bajal, district secretary of CPIM of DK, said, “The CPIM has decided to field candidates in at least five legislative constituencies of Karnataka. However, the party will not field any candidates in coastal districts. If left parties enter the election contest, the secular votes will be divided. This will make the victory of the BJP easier. Even if the left parties will not field candidates, they will campaign for other candidates and ensure their victory.”

Coastal Karnataka has been a firm base of the left parties, right from 1962. CPI leader A Krishna Shetty was elected as MLA of Mangaluru from the Ullal legislative constituency defeating P Ramachandra Rao. In addition, youth wing of the left parties are involved actively in various social issues of coastal districts.

State DYFI president Munir Katipalla said, “In the present political scenario, our aim is to defeat the BJP. Our fight is against the policies of the BJP.”