Thursday, February 10 2005 18:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ranchi: The CPM (Communist Party of India Marxist) today (Feb 10, 2005) claimed the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) considered the Left as its 'political enemy number one'.

"The BJP has always treated the Left as its political enemy number one because we are the stumbling blocks of the BJP's attempt to divide the society on communal grounds," the CPM politburo member, Sitaram Yechuri, said at a news conference in Ranchi.

Commenting on Congress leader Oscar Fernandes calling on Cardinal Telesphore Toppo recently, Yechuri said, "We are very clear in the matter, no religious leader should openly advocate in matters relating politics."

The reported meeting between Oscar Fernandes and the Cardinal in Ranchi recently had kicked up a controversy with the BJP and the JMM (Jharkand Mukti Morcha) taking exception to it.

Earlier in the morning, BJP president L K Advani, replying to a query, said religious leaders should be impartial in their approach.