Secular parties have teamed up to defeat BJP, not to gain power: CPI’s D. Raja

In an interview with PTI, Mr. Raja said the current situation in the country “is grave and disturbing” and there is a need to uproot the saffron party for the sake of democracy

Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D. Raja on June 19 said all secular democratic parties had teamed up together to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming 2024 general elections and not for grabbing power.

In an interview with PTI, Mr. Raja, who is on a two-day Jharkhand visit, said the current situation in the country "is grave and disturbing" and there is a need to uproot the saffron party for the sake of democracy.

Also Read | CPI extends support to AAP against Centre’s ordinance on services

"Secular democratic parties are of the view that all must come together to defeat the BJP. This is not for getting political power, but to safeguard the Constitution, the democracy, the nation and its future. That understanding is gaining momentum," Mr. Raja said.

"Who will be the leader of the group is not an issue at all. Everything can be discussed and decided collectively as the parties are matured enough,” he said.

"We had such experiences when the United Front was formed and leadership questions were addressed after winning. Even a Common Minimum Programme was discussed and accepted. There was no problem. Everything went smoothly and everything was discussed collectively. There are no preconditions for the unity of the secular democratic parties," Mr. Raja said.

Also Read | Road to Opposition unity begins with electoral understanding at State-level, says CPI’s D. Raja