CEC row: CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby pushes for broader Opposition unity, calls for INDIA Bloc-Plus

Communist Part of India (Marxist) general secretary M.A. Baby on Saturday called for an ‘INDIA Bloc-Plus’ — a broader coalition of Opposition parties and civil society organisations — in resisting what he described as the “misuse” of power by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar with the alleged backing of the BJP leadership.

Mr. Baby’s remarks in Thiruvananthapuram came on the heels of reports that he had spoken to Mamata All-India Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as part of building a broader framework of opposition at the national level. The INDIA Bloc was expected to meet in New Delhi on September 30 to hold discussions, he said.

Mr. Baby said Indian politics is passing through “critical moments.” A big part of how the CEC has misused his power has been exposed, he said. The INDIA Bloc has a role to play in building the resistance. “But it should be INDIA Bloc-Plus; that is the entire Opposition should come. You should take everybody on board, including the civil society, including new political forces like Cockroach Janta Party (CJP),” he said.

Mr. Baby said the expose has shown how a “basic, democratic and transparent task” (the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll) that should have been carried out by the Election Commission was virtually subverted by the CEC, notwithstanding the reservations and objections of his colleagues. “But it is not just a question of whether he is forced to resign, but with whose support he did the illegal things. They also should be held to account,” Mr. Baby said.

Mr. Baby said he had written to Ms. Banerjee as part of reaching out to various Opposition parties across the country. He said he and Ms. Banerjee had discussed the “state of affairs” in the country and how the EC had been “hijacked” by the ruling party.

“She told me that she is not allowed to go out. She is being denied democratic rights, to mix with the people. She says it is very difficult to organise any protest programme in West Bengal under the BJP rule.”