Tensions flared in Kerala politics as Opposition Leader VD Satheesan accused the CPI(M) of masterminding communal rhetoric with CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s nod, spotlighting Minister Saji Cherian’s recent faux pas. In his assembly address Tuesday, Satheesan unraveled what he called a ‘choreographed conspiracy’ to polarize the state.
He traced the trail: CM’s PR outreach to Delhi press, Vijayan’s interview alignment, strategic retreat, community leader amplification, Balan’s input, and Cherian’s bombshell. ‘No coincidence—this was deliberate,’ Satheesan charged.
Hailing Cherian’s statement as a ministerial low point in Kerala’s governance annals, Satheesan indicted it as a cynical ploy bartering constitutional loyalty for caste-based votes. He pressed Vijayan on his silence and refusal to endorse the narrative openly.
Satheesan ripped into CPI(M)’s pattern of self-inflicted controversies to sanitize bigotry, assuring robust UDF pushback across forums.
Countering claims of UDF’s minority fixation, he cited local election victories spanning castes and regions, penetrating CPI(M) fortresses. Accusing the Left of aping BJP’s wedge politics, he warned of backlash in Kerala’s pluralistic ethos.
Drawing on CPI(M)’s pro-Muslim League stance during Babri riots—Kerala’s beacon of calm—Satheesan prophesied electoral retribution in 2026. ‘Kerala’s secular soul, championed by UDF, will prevail,’ he declared.