LS Polls in Kerala: INDIA Bloc Allies CPI(M), Congress Trade Allegations on CAA, Kannur Blast

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused Congress of being silent on the Citizenship Amendment Act and central government policies against the state's interests. He claimed Congress's past stance was similar to the BJP, making them untrustworthy to oppose the saffron party. State Polling is scheduled for April 26.

Thiruvananthapuram/Alappuzha: The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala and the opposition Congress, both part of the INDIA bloc, on Sunday traded allegations against each other on various issues, including the CAA and the recent Kannur blast, as the Lok Sabha poll campaign intensified in the state.

Polling will be held in the state on April 26. At an LDF public meeting in Mavelikkara Lok Sabha constituency, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated his accusations of Congress being silent on the implementation of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and various central government policies that are against the interests of the state.

He contended that the Congress never opposed the central government policies that are financially choking the state and obstructing its welfare measures. Vijayan went on to claim that the past experience of the country has been that the Congress's stand was always similar to that of the BJP and, therefore, they cannot be trusted to oppose the saffron party.

He further alleged that the BJP government at the Centre is actually taking forward the "anti-people policies of the earlier UPA-II government". Hitting back at the CPI(M) and Vijayan, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan referred to the recent bomb blast in Kannur that claimed the life of one person and remarked that the Left party was no different from terrorist organisations that train their cadres in making explosives.

The Congress has been alleging the CPI(M) workers were involved in the blast in which three persons were also injured and four others have been arrested. According to the police, all eight persons, including the one who died, who were involved in the incident were CPI(M) workers, an allegation denied by the Left party.

The CPI(M) has claimed that all those involved in the incident were sidelined from the party as they had attacked workers of the Left political organisation in the past. In response to the these claims by the CPI(M), Satheesan questioned why local leaders of the party then visited the house of the man killed in the blast.

He alleged that those involved in the incident were rejected as party workers by the CPI(M) keeping LS polls in mind, and said that after the election, the party's stand would change.

Meanwhile, the police said that raids were being carried out in various parts of Kannur district with the aid of bomb disposal squads following the blast that occurred on Friday at Panur. The blast had occurred during the making of a country-made bomb.

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