On Wednesday, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) which is the political wing of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) declared that it would contest only 16 Assembly seats in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Election 2023 in order to help Congress.
The SDPI had earlier said that it would field its candidates in 100 constituencies. However, today it decided to contest only 16 seats in the upcoming state elections. This is to help Congress in defeating the BJP. The decision taken by the SDPI reportedly comes a day after Congress released its manifesto for the elections and stated that it would impose a ban on Hindu organisations like Bajrang Dal.
The party stated that it is dedicated to taking a resolute and unwavering stance against people and groups who ‘incite enmity among communities on the basis of caste and religion’.
“We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and can not be violated by individuals and organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on any such organisations,” read the party manifesto.
SDPI national general secretary Elyas Thumbe confirmed the development to Times Now and said, “The initial plan was to contest 100 seats, we dropped the plan as the ground situation looks fertile for Congress to win and for BJP to lose the Karnataka Election 2023. We told our SDPI workers to go door to door and campaign for Congress and JD(S).”
SDPI had made covert alliance with Congress in 2018 elections also
It is interesting to note that the SDPI had made covert alliances with Congress in several seats to oust BJP from power during the Karnataka assembly elections of 2018. SDPI leader Ilyas Thumbe had revealed in March this year that SDPI in 2018 had taken back their candidates from more than 25 seats as a result of secret pacts with Congress. Congress also had withdrawn its candidacy from three constituencies with a Muslim majority for SDPI to contest. However, the Congress has denied any pact made with the Islamic organization.
Yesterday, the Hindu organisations slammed the grand old party for making such unconscionable remarks in its poll manifesto and comparing Bajrang Dal to the PFI. Vinod Bansal, the national spokesperson of Vishva Hindu Parishad said that he was not completely surprised though as the remarks made by Congress were completely in sync with the party’s “Jihadi mindset.”
He further denounced the Congress for repeatedly seeking to humiliate Hindus in an effort to placate and pacify Islamists. He asserted that Congress had a track record of supporting jihadis and sheltering Islamist terrorists.
The VHP leader claimed that equating Bajrang Dal with PFI is the final nail in Congress’s coffin. “By making such reckless comments in the poll manifesto, the party has penned its own death warrant”, he said.
VHP stage protest in Delhi, seek withdrawal of promise to ban ‘Bajrang Dal’
The VHP members also staged protest outside the Congress headquarters in Delhi today and sought immediate withdrawal of the poll promise. PM Modi also took cognizance of the event and said that the Congress party had attempted to oppose Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman.
“See the misfortune that when I have come to pay my respect to Hanuman’s land, at the same time, the Congress in its manifesto has decided to lock up Lord Hanuman. Initially, they locked up Prabhu Shri Ram (Lord Ram). And now they want to lock up people who chant Jai Bajrang Bali,” PM Modi said while addressing an election rally in Karnataka.
Legislative Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Karnataka on May 10, 2023 to elect all 224 members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The votes will be counted and the results will be declared on May 13, 2023.
