CPM has responded to the Congress leadership not inviting Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to the swearing-in of the new government in Karnataka on Saturday.

Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar will takes oaths as chief minister and deputy CM of Karnataka respectively on Saturday. While several state leaders have been invited, the chief ministers of two southern states -- Pinarayi Vijayan of Kerala and K Chandrashekar Rao of Telangana -- have not been invited.

The decision has upset the CPM leadership with the party's former general secretary, Prakash Karat, telling the Congress party to put aside its 'narrow outlook' for the 'wider goal of opposition unity'.

“The Congress party must give up its narrow outlook of looking only at its petty interests in the state for the wider goal of building the unity of all democratic and secular forces to fight the BJP in the 2024 Parliament elections,” Karat said at an EK Nayanar commemoration event in Kannur on Friday.

“In Telangana, the elections are coming in December. The ruling party there is BRS - Bharat Rashtra Samithi. And the chief minister has openly declared that they are going to fight the BJP. That BJP is their main enemy. But the Congress party there is not aware of the BJP, though the BJP is growing in Telangana.

“... they (Congress) have to recognise that they are not the only major force in the country today fighting BJP. They cannot take on the responsibility or have the capability to be the only party at the national level that can fight the BJP,” said the Politburo member.

LDF convener, EP Jayarajan said the Congress leadership ignoring Pinarayi was an indication of its "immature" politics and lack of direction.

Yechury to represent CPM
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury will, however, attend the ceremony in Bengaluru on Saturday, said Karat.

“We discussed the matter and though their approach to the party in Kerala is hostile, for us the all-India-level fight against the BJP is important and we want all opposition parties to come together. Therefore, our general secretary, Comrade Sitaram Yechury will attend the swearing-in,” Karat said.

Congress had wrested power back from the BJP in Karnataka with an emphatic victory in the May 10 elections. Out of the 224 seats in the Assembly, the Congress secured 135 while BJP could only manage 66.