Will campaign for CPM in West Bengal if asked, says CM Oommen Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Saturday said he has no qualms in campaigning in West Bengal in support of candidates of CPI-M, who are poll rivals in Kerala, in the wake of its tie-up with the Congress in the eastern state.

Chandy fully justified the decision of the Central leadership of the Congress and CPI-M to go in for a tie-up to take on Trinamool Congress and BJP in West Bengal, saying “Congress has taken a practical approach”.

When talks of a possible Congress-CPI(M) tie-up in West Bengal had started, Kerala CPI(M) had opposed it, but “we told the Central leadership that they can take a decision”, Chandy said.

“You see, in a country like India, at a time when BJP has become a threat and is in power at the Centre, it is not possible for parties to have the same approach in all states,” he said, adding this has also been recognised by the CPI-M leadership.

Chandy was replying to a question on whether the tie up would have an adverse impact in Kerala in the May 16 Assembly polls. “Congress does not believe that the party will be destroyed in Kerala if it join hands with CPI-M in West Bengal,” Chandy said.

“I do not think the people of Kerala will reject Congress and me if I campaign in West Bengal as part of the policy of the party,” Chandy added. However, CPI-M's Kerala leaders were afraid of that decision and thought that the party would be “destroyed” in the state, Chandy said, taking a dig at CPI-M in the state.

“What can happen in Kerala when Congress joins hands with CPI-M in West Bengal?” At the maximum, leaders from Kerala will not go for campaign in West Bengal,” he said. “But if the party leadership asks me to go for campaign in West Bengal, I will go there,” Chandy said.