CPI-M lives in bygone era: Antony

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is living in a bygone era, former defence minister A.K. Antony said on Tuesday.

"It's most unfortunate that the CPI-M is living and thinking in a bygone era," the Congress leader told the media.

"It has come to a stage where they are in power in just one state now. They are failing to understand the rapid developments taking place all over the world.

"Their thoughts have no takers. They have failed to attract youths and the middle aged. Their ideology has no relevance in the modern world," he said.

"They say that alone can take on the BJP. But the reality is that they do not have even an address in other parts of the country, not even in West Bengal."

Antony said the upcoming local body elections in Kerala should be treated as a semi-final and the assembly elections next year as the final.

"The result of the semi-final is clear and the BJP will come a cropper. The final will be a contest between the Congress and the CPI-M. Given the developments of the past four-and-a-half years, the Congress-led UDF should be voted to power."

Antony is here to campaign for the local body polls of November 2 and 5.