Thiruvananthapuram: With days left for the crucial Kerala assembly polls, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) are engaged in a war of words, accusing each other of colluding with the BJP.
The war of words started Wednesday when Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi virtually addressed an election rally in Kerala’s Kozhikode.
Targeting the ruling CPI(M), Rahul claimed there is a secret understanding between the BJP and the LDF. “Cases against the Chief Minister are not moving. This shows the relationship between BJP and CPI(M).”
A day later, the CPI(M) hit back, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan taking a sharp jibe at Rahul. “Rahul Gandhi is a national leader. But the reality is that he lacks even the basic awareness of a common local worker. He is not willing to understand anything properly. And even when he sees or experiences things, he does not learn from them. These are not qualities befitting a political leader,” the CM said at a press conference in Ernakulam.
He went on to say that Rahul and the Congress act as a B-team of the BJP.
The CPI(M) Polit Bureau issued a strongly worded statement soon after. Calling Rahul’s statement provocative, it said such statements are used for cheap electoral gains.
Citing examples from other states, including Assam, where Congress leaders have joined BJP, it also said the Congress has become a feeder organisation for the BJP. It added that the 10 years of the LDF government did not see any communal riots.
“The CPI(M) has consistently opposed the misuse of central agencies against opposition leaders, while Shri Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, is calling for the arrest of an opposition Chief Minister by invoking the ED and other central agencies,” the statement read. “It should not be forgotten that the Congress had similarly called for the arrest of Shri Arvind Kejriwal, former Chief Minister of Delhi. This exposes their opportunistic stance.”
(Edited by Niyati Kothiyal)
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