Kochi, 14 December(HS): In an interesting political development, the INDI alliance is entering Kerala in style to check the growth of BJP in the State.

Behind the curtain talks are on between top leaders of the CPI(M) and Congress to forge an alliance in two municipal councils, Palakkad and Tripunithura for forming an alliance between the two parties to prevent the Hindutva party from staking its claim for the post of chairman in these local self-government bodies.

Palakkad, which was under the BJP rule during 2020-2025 threw out a hung House after the 11th December election, the results of which were established on Saturday.

Palakkad Municipal Council which has an effective strength of 53, ended the 2025 poll with BJP emerging as the single largest party with 25 members. The CPI(M) won in 8 wards while the Congress finished second with 18 seats. There are three independent candidates who are certain to join the INDI alliance to prove their secular credentials.

Same is the case in Tripunithura where the BJP-led NDA has 21 members, the largest grouping in the House. The CPI(M)-led LDF has 20 members while the Congress front has 12 members. An alliance of the CPI(M) and Congress will result in the formation of a grouping woth 32 members. Thus these two municipalities will facilitate the entry of INDI alliance in Kerala too.

Hitherto, though the CPI(M) and Congress were working together as INDI alliance in rest of the country, there was no such open alliance in Kerala.

Though leaders of both the parties go for election campaigning in neighboring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, they were acting as rivals in Kerala.

Leaders like Pinarayi Vijayan, M A Baby (all India general secretary of the party), P Rajeeve, M V Govindan where heard eulogizing the Congress leaders once they cross the borders and enter Tamil Nadu or Karnataka, they fall silent while in their home state.

Once the INDI alliance takes shape in Kerala, the only irritant will be the allegations made by the Congress against CPI(M) viz-a-viz the gold smuggling through green channel, the commission received by Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter from a businessman by name Sasi Kartha, the cooperative bank scam to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore and the Sabarimala Gold dacoity case. But once the Congress High Command says to sop all such allegations and charges, both the parties can work together and form an alliance to fight the Hindutva forces.

Pinarayi Vijayan is on record, describing the victory of BJP-led NDA in Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation as a disturbing signal. “It means communal and fascist forces are rearing their heads in the State, known for its peaceful and serene atmosphere. We will definitely work to check the growth of communal forces in the State,” said Vijayan in his statement.

Another leader who was shocked by the victory of the BJP is Binoy Viswam, the state secretary of the CPI, whose antipathy and hostility to Hindus is well known. Viswam, an ideologist of the global Communist movement has been demanding the opening of INDI alliance branch in Kerala. The CPI(M) which has become a sitting duck post the local body election , is likely to yield to the diktat of Viswam and open its doors to the INDI alliance in Kerala.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti