New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) The Left parties have realised that the Maoists pose a threat to them too, Home Minister P. Chidambaram Tuesday said.
In an interview telecast on the Congress-controlled Jai Hind TV channel, Chidambaram described the Left parties’ realisation as ‘better late than never’.
The minister said both the Maoists and the Left parties once considered the Congress as their common enemy.
‘Until some years ago, Left parties and Naxals said the Congress was their common enemy. They (Left) thought they were on the same side. Now they (Left) realise that Naxals threaten even the Left parties,’ he said.
Chidambaram said the Left parties’ understanding of Maoism has changed considerably.
‘What they said in parliament a year ago and what they said in parliament now is very different. You can see the speeches of the MPs… You can see it in the statements made by the chief minister of West Bengal.
‘I think they have realised rather late (that) Naxalism posses a threat not only to Congress and other mainstream, middle-of-the-road parties and it poses a threat to Left parties. Better late than never,’ he said.
