Brinda Karat at Agenda Aaj Tak: With 31 per cent vote one talks of Hindu rashtra, we need electoral reforms

CPI-M polit buro member Brinda Karat today called for electoral reforms to make the governments in India more accountable and a true reflection of people's will expressed during polls.

Speaking at Agenda Aaj Tak in New Delhi today, Brinda Karat said, "Contesting elections has become very costly, It is being influenced by coroporates in big manner. Money has become very important in election. We need an electoral reform." Continuing her argument for electoral reform, Brinda Karat said, "The landslide victory for the BJP that people talked about yesterday (after UP civic body election results) tells a different story if one analyses the data. The BJP won only 17 per cent votes in municipalities and only 22 per cent in municipal corporations. Still their victory becomes landslide."

"First past the post system has not worked well for the country, you can talk of Hindu rashtra with 31 per cent votes. Electoral reform is necessary for parties like us, Proportional representation may be thought of," Brinda Karat added.

Brinda Karat admitted that the Left has failed to convert the popular support to its ideology into votes. "In all the movements of people, the Left has played a key role. But, we have failed to win elections. We have not converted supported into election winning machine," Karat said.

'RSS IS NOT VICTIM IN KERALA'

The CPI-M leader also rejected the allegations of the BJP and the RSS that their supporters were being targeted by the Left cadres in Kerala. Karat said that the RSS was not a victim in Kerala.

She said, "Since 1970, the RSS has been aggressor in Kerala. All the commissions which probed the violence have found that RSS has not been a victim."

"The RSS's intention in Kerala is to sow the seeds of communalism because there is substantial minority population. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has held four peace meetings with the concerned parties including the BJP and RSS people," Karat stated.

"In the meeting, the BJP leaders say that they agree to maintain peace. But, the next day (Union Finance Minister) Arun Jaitley visits the state and instigates them to become aggressive. (BJP president) Amit Shah goes there and gives inflammatory speeches, Ministers and leaders go there and foment trouble. One sadhvi of the party goes there and announces a bounty for Chief Minister Vijayan's head," Karat said.

Karat also rejected the charge that Vijayan government had been going soft against rioters in Kerala saying, violence in Kannur was not in favour of the Left Front government there.

BRINDA SLAMS MODI OVER INDIRA, NEHRU REMARKS

Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at the Congress by referring to stands taken by former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Brinda Karat today came out in support of the two leaders.

Participating in a discussion on Left versus Right at Agenda Aaj Tak, Brinda Karat said that "politics of vote" should not be the only guiding force in the country. She said, "It is not good that the prime minister ridicules a former female prime minister at Morbi (in Gujarat) to drive one's point during election campaign."

Brinda Karat also slammed PM Modi for referring to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's great-grandfather Nehru in the context of Somnath temple controversy.

"Why should one refer to Nehru's opposition to Somnath temple when someone visits it. Where are you taking the political discourse? This is not good for the democratic system of the country," Brinda Karat said.