AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday launched a sharp counterattack on the Communist Party of India (Marxist), accusing the party of targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi out of “political insecurity”. His remarks came amid escalating exchanges between the Congress and the CPI(M) following recent criticisms from Left leaders over Gandhi’s political conduct and the performance of opposition alliances in various states.

Venugopal alleged that instead of reviewing its own electoral performance, particularly in Kerala, the CPI(M) was shifting blame onto Rahul Gandhi. He claimed that the Left party’s criticism reflected its inability to analyse the reasons behind its declining political strength. According to him, such an approach would only lead to further electoral setbacks for the party in future contests.

The Congress leader further compared the CPI(M)’s criticism to self-deception, stating that blaming Rahul Gandhi for the party’s challenges was equivalent to “breaking a mirror because one's face looks bad”. He argued that the Left party’s political messaging was increasingly driven by frustration rather than objective assessment of electoral realities on the ground.

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Venugopal also asserted that the CPI(M)’s relevance in Parliament outside Kerala has, in part, been sustained through the support of the Congress and its broader alliances. He described the party’s criticism of Gandhi as ironic, adding that several CPI(M) leaders have also benefited electorally in certain regions due to support from the Congress-led political front.

Defending the INDIA bloc, Venugopal said the alliance was formed at the initiative of the Congress to protect democratic institutions and counter what he described as the ruling BJP’s “authoritarian tendencies”. He added that while the Congress follows a national-level political vision, the CPI(M) remains focused on regional considerations, which he said has contributed to its weakening influence in states such as West Bengal.

The remarks come in the backdrop of renewed tensions between the Congress and CPI(M), following criticism from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby. The Kerala Chief Minister had earlier questioned Rahul Gandhi’s approach within the opposition alliance, while also commenting on his interactions with political leaders. Venugopal’s response underscores the growing friction within opposition ranks even as parties continue to coordinate under the INDIA bloc framework.

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