Hyderabad:
Fraternal cousins Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI -M) are engaged in a war of words over the by-polls to 18 assembly and one Lok Sabha seat scheduled to be held in June.
The exchange of words has turned bitter with the CPI state secretary K Narayana suspecting a 'secret agenda' of the CPI (M) over its stance in the by-elections.
Observing that the by-polls did not have much significance, the CPI decided not to field the nominees, but instead support the Telegu Desam Party (TDP) so as to effectively fight the ruling Congress and the YSR Congress.
Both, the CPI as well as the CPI(M) have been allies of the TDP in the state for quite some time .
Fielding the Left candidates would only split the anti-government votes and help the Congress or YSR Congress, Mr Narayana told Press Trust of India (PTI).
The CPI (M), however, said it was in favour of fielding its own candidates, wherever it had some strength.
Citing an example of CPI(M) allegedly supporting a YSR Congress nominee in an MLC election in Chittoor district some time ago, Mr Narayana said he had remarked at a workers' meeting that the Marxist party appears to have had a 'secret agenda'.
The political observers feel that it is possible that the CPI(M) is planning to sail with YSRC eventually.
However, taking exceptions to Narayana's comments, CPI(M) state secretary B V Raghavulu asked his CPI counterpart to come clear on his charges.
Raghavulu said that the CPI(M) does not need to have any secret agenda, as it has not done anything secretly. The party only supported an independent candidate in the Chittoor election, he said.
However, maintaining that the media highlighted his remarks made at a party workers' meeting, Mr Narayana said that he did not want to go back on his comments now.
Asked if the war of words would impact the broader unity of the Left, Narayana said it is only an issue concerning bypolls and both the parties would continue to work together on people's issues.
Suspecting a 'secret agenda' is unfair for a Communist party, senior CPI(M) leader in AP Y Venkateswara Rao told PTI.
Such comments would not help in maintaining the Left unity in the state, Rao said.
He said that after the withdrawal of nominations, the CPI(M) would decide whom to support in the by-polls, wherever it is not fielding its own candidates, he said.
After West Bengal and Kerala, Andhra Pradesh has the largest presence of the Left parties.
The exchange of words has turned bitter with the CPI state secretary K Narayana suspecting a 'secret agenda' of the CPI (M) over its stance in the by-elections.
Observing that the by-polls did not have much significance, the CPI decided not to field the nominees, but instead support the Telegu Desam Party (TDP) so as to effectively fight the ruling Congress and the YSR Congress.
Both, the CPI as well as the CPI(M) have been allies of the TDP in the state for quite some time .
Fielding the Left candidates would only split the anti-government votes and help the Congress or YSR Congress, Mr Narayana told Press Trust of India (PTI).
The CPI (M), however, said it was in favour of fielding its own candidates, wherever it had some strength.
Citing an example of CPI(M) allegedly supporting a YSR Congress nominee in an MLC election in Chittoor district some time ago, Mr Narayana said he had remarked at a workers' meeting that the Marxist party appears to have had a 'secret agenda'.
The political observers feel that it is possible that the CPI(M) is planning to sail with YSRC eventually.
However, taking exceptions to Narayana's comments, CPI(M) state secretary B V Raghavulu asked his CPI counterpart to come clear on his charges.
Raghavulu said that the CPI(M) does not need to have any secret agenda, as it has not done anything secretly. The party only supported an independent candidate in the Chittoor election, he said.
However, maintaining that the media highlighted his remarks made at a party workers' meeting, Mr Narayana said that he did not want to go back on his comments now.
Asked if the war of words would impact the broader unity of the Left, Narayana said it is only an issue concerning bypolls and both the parties would continue to work together on people's issues.
Suspecting a 'secret agenda' is unfair for a Communist party, senior CPI(M) leader in AP Y Venkateswara Rao told PTI.
Such comments would not help in maintaining the Left unity in the state, Rao said.
He said that after the withdrawal of nominations, the CPI(M) would decide whom to support in the by-polls, wherever it is not fielding its own candidates, he said.
After West Bengal and Kerala, Andhra Pradesh has the largest presence of the Left parties.
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