BJP-KARAT 2LST

In southern state of Karnataka, Karat said the victory
was accomplished after more than two decades of continuous
work by RSS and its outfits "in fomenting communal tensions,
riots and creating communal polarisation.

"Without this groundwork, the BJP could not have
succeeded in emerging as such a big force, its first success
in a south Indian state. No amount of intellectual sophistry
by the Hindutva ideologues and fellow travellers can mask this
reality."

The CPI(M) leader said that notwithstanding L K Advani's
"efforts to broaden the NDA and strike a posture" to appeal to
wider sections of the people, the Leader of Opposition had to
"time and again" fall back on the "explicit communal agenda".

These, Karat said, were reflected in his initial
reactions to the Malegaon blasts case where Advani wanted the
alleged culprits, even if they belonged to Sangh Parivar
outfits, to be brought to book. "The same vacillation was seen
regarding the virulent speeches of Varun Gandhi."

He said the stepping down of Advani from the post of
President and expulsion or desertion of leaders like Uma
Bharti and Kalyan Singh was witnessed after the 2004
elections.

While the current tussle in the saffron party was bound
to result in a temporary setback, "a remoulded BJP made to
order on RSS prescriptions does not augur well for the
country", Karat said, asking people to combat communalism. PTI