CPI(M) extends support to AAP in Delhi

The CPI(M) on Wednesday appealed to the people of Delhi to vote for the Aam Aadmi Party and defeat the BJP in the national capital.

In a statement, the party's Delhi State Committee said in the last five years of the NDA government an "unmitigated disaster" had been unleashed in the country.

"This government has promoted heinous attacks on Muslims and Dalits and has actively engaged in sharpening of communal polarisation. There has been a sharp increase in crimes against women and girls. The Modi government has launched severe attacks on democratic rights of the people and undermined different Constitutional authorities. It has sought to subvert the secular and democratic essence of the Constitution," the CPI(M) said.

It said the saffron party has pursued neo-liberal policies that have led to increased unemployment and heaped severe economic burden and miseries on the working class, peasantry and other toilers.

"On the other hand it has provided numerous concessions to corporates and let corporate criminals like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi escape. It has indulged in massive corruption as is evident from the scam in purchase of Rafale aircraft.

"In Delhi it has misused the office of the Lt. Governor to obstruct functioning of elected state government. Besides, it has reneged on its promise to grant full statehood to Delhi. For all these reasons the BJP must be decisively defeated and removed from power," the statement said.

It further said the Congress cannot provide a credible challenge to the BJP in Delhi given substantial erosion in its mass base in the state.

"It (Congress) has played a negative role vis--vis the AAP state government and it appears to consider the AAP and not the BJP as its main enemy in Delhi. Besides, it has adopted soft Hindutva tactics and targeted the Left by fielding Rahul Gandhi from Waynad. In light of the above, there is no question of CPI (M) supporting any Congress candidate in Delhi," it said.

Delhi goes to poll on May 12 in the sixth phase of elections.