By Express News Service
MALAPPURAM: Congress chief Oommen Chandy has slammed CPM state secretary in cost A Vijayaraghavan for stating that Congress leaders are visiting the home of IUML patron Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal to broaden their alliance with fundamentalist spiritual events.
The former chief minister, after inaugurating the Congress block workplace at Tirur on Sunday, mentioned Vijayaraghavan has been taking part in communal card for petty political beneficial properties. He additionally termed his criticism as ‘sour grapes’.
“Vijayaraghavan was disappointed as he couldn’t visit Panakkad house. I’ll visit Panakkad house again. CPM leaders dilute their stands easily as per the circumstances for political gains. They were not reluctant to welcome the party of K M Mani whom they had accused of being corrupt. UDF still sticks to the stand that Mani was not a corrupt leader. UDF will face the upcoming assembly elections unitedly,” Chandy mentioned.
Other Congress leaders together with Opposition chief Ramesh Chennithala had additionally flayed Vijayaraghavan ’s statements. Chennithala mentioned CPM has been making an attempt to create communal divisions within the state. Political analysts say CPM is adopting the identical ways of BJP to create communal polarisation within the state.
“Congress leaders visiting the IUML supremo’s house is usual. IUML leaders play an important role in resolving internal issues in UDF. By projecting the visits as attempts to seal tie-ups with communal parties, CPM tries to evoke anti-Muslim emotions and consolidate Christian votes. This is a dangerous move and will only help BJP in the long run,” mentioned political analyst C R Neelakandan.
He mentioned CPM’s plan to achieve votes by the communal marketing campaign would possibly backfire within the elections. “The UDF under the leadership of Chandy will attack the communal agenda. Its top brass has already launched it. This anti-Muslim stand taken by CPM might help UDF to increase its Muslim vote share. Also, Christian votes are unlikely to consolidate in CPM’s favour. A secular party like CPM should step back from communal campaigns understanding these facts,” he mentioned.
CPM Malappuram district secretary E N Mohandas mentioned Vijayaraghavan’s statements had been misinterpreted by UDF. “CPM has always taken a firm stand to protect the rights of minorities in the country. The party state secretary’s criticism was against the association of UDF with Jamaat-e-Islami. The IUML is trying to escape criticism by projecting these statements as attacks on Muslim community,” he mentioned.
IUML has not sought extra seats: ChennithalaKasaragod: IUML has not sought extra seats within the meeting elections, Ramesh Chennithala mentioned on Sunday. He was in Kasaragod to steer the Aishwarya Kerala Yatra. On Oommen Chandy contesting from Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram, Chennithala mentioned it was solely a suggestion. The Nemom meeting section is represented by BJP’s O Rajagopal and is taken into account as a stronghold of the saffron occasion. Chandy has rubbished the thought and mentioned he was wedded to Puthuppally, a constituency he represented for 50 years. IUML contested in 24 seats and received 19 in 2016. After the exit of LJD and KC(M)’s Jose Ok Mani faction from UDF, round 14 seats can be up for grabs. IUML sources mentioned the occasion is eyeing as much as 30 seats this time. Chennithala mentioned there wouldn’t be any disagreement over seat-sharing in UDF. The allies would sit collectively and determine on seats, he mentioned. On the chief ministerial candidate, he mentioned the occasion’s excessive command would determine after the election. Chennithala mentioned there can be a UDF wave within the meeting election. He mentioned he was taking out the yatra to show the LDF authorities’s alleged ‘corruption and criminality’ and search sustainable options to joblessness and a shrinking economic system.
CPM grooming BJP as various to UDF: PremachandranKasaragod: “CPM is grooming BJP into a ‘relevant’ political party with the vile agenda of scaring and cornering 46% of religious minority votes in the state,” mentioned Revolutionary Socialist Party chief and MP N Ok Premachandran. He mentioned CPM and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had been persistently whipping up anti-Muslim sentiments amongst Hindus by making statements like Congress was being managed by IUML. He was talking on the launch of Aishwarya Kerala Yatra at Kumbla. “CPM’s strategy is to drive UDF’s Hindu voters to BJP’s fold,” he mentioned. “By saying that Congress and UDF have become irrelevant in Kerala, I think what the CM meant is that BJP has become relevant,” he mentioned. This is CPM implementing BJP’s politics, he mentioned. However, CPM ought to keep in mind that BJP was the principle occasion in a number of northeastern states, the place Christians had been in majority, he mentioned. “Those rooting for another term for Pinarayi should keep in mind the first and second terms of the Modi government. While he spoke about development and welfare in the first, the second saw Jammu and Kashmir losing its statehood and special status, the Citizenship Act being amended, the farm laws being rammed through and the PM becoming the prime tantri,” he mentioned.