New Delhi | Communist Party of India General Secretary D Raja on Monday announced a nationwide political campaign against the BJP-led Centre, alleging that its policies threaten secularism, federalism, parliamentary democracy and workers' rights.

Announcing the party's political outreach programme, Raja said the CPI would organise padyatras and mass mobilisation campaigns across the country from August 6 to August 15, culminating in a massive rally in Delhi on September 28, the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

Addressing a press conference after the CPI National Council meeting in New Delhi, Raja expressed concern over the BJP forming a government in West Bengal for the first time and said the development would have "serious repercussions" on communal harmony and the Constitution.

"The Bengal situation demands serious introspection because the BJP capturing power in Bengal will have a serious impact on the very Constitution of India, and it will have repercussions on maintaining communal harmony in the state of Bengal as well as in the North East region," Raja said.

In a statement, the CPI described the BJP's rise in Bengal as "a matter of grave concern for the state, the region and the future of social harmony".

It alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise led to the deletion of a large number of voters and raised "serious questions regarding democratic rights and electoral fairness".

Raja admitted that the Left failed to emerge as an alternative in Bengal.

"We thought Left would revive itself, and Left will re-emerge as a force again to shape the political future of West Bengal. It did not happen. Congress party also could not do anything," he said, adding that the Left would undertake "serious introspection".

The CPI also criticised the BJP government in Assam, alleging that communal polarisation and divisive politics had intensified in the state.

According to the CPI statement, the campaign is aimed at building "broad-based mass resistance against the anti-people, authoritarian and divisive policies of the RSS-BJP regime".

Raja said the campaign would focus on unemployment, price rise, attacks on democratic institutions, trade agreements, agrarian distress and women's reservation.

"India should remain a multidimensional country, and Indian democracy should remain a multiparty democracy. But the BJP and RSS are opposing this kind of India," he said.

The CPI also accused the Modi government of pursuing "pro-corporate" economic policies and criticised the replacement of MGNREGA with the "contractor-driven VB GRAM G Act", calling it "a systematic attack on rural employment, decentralisation and workers' rights".

Raja also accused the Centre of undermining Parliament and democratic institutions. "Parliament is the supreme institution of our democracy. After the BJP came to power, Parliament is undermined. If Parliament becomes redundant, democracy dies," he said.

Regarding the matter of women's reservation, Raja alleged that the Centre had delayed implementation of the law by linking it to delimitation and census exercises. "Shamelessly, they call it Nari Shakti Vandan. Where is Nari Shakti, where is Vandan?" he asked.

The party also criticised the Centre's trade agreements with the US and European Union, alleging that they favoured corporate interests over farmers and domestic producers.

Regarding the political situation in Tamil Nadu, Raja defended the CPI's support to TVK during government formation after the assembly polls, saying constitutional conventions required the governor to invite the single-largest party.

"Respecting the mandate of the people, the governor should invite the single largest party," he said.

He accused the BJP of attempting to create a constitutional crisis in Tamil Nadu by allegedly misusing the governor's office.

Rejecting speculation about internal differences within the CPI over election outcomes, Raja said there was "no question of protest or anything" within the party and asserted that leaders from all states participated in the National Council meeting.

Raja stressed the need for Left unity.

"Left parties must put up a strong collective fight. And left unity is very important. Along with it, our National Council discussed how to unite the secular democratic parties to save India as a nation," he added.