Pinarayi Vijayan lashes out at poll tricks of Opposition UDF and BJP

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPIM) Ministers E P Jayarajan, Dr Thomas Isaac, G Sudhakaran, A K Balan and C Ravindranath would not be alloted seats this time, as decided by the CPIM. He also lashed out at the Opposition stating that the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party attempt to destroy the LDF and if the Congress wins then it would ally with the BJP.

Thiruvananthapuram: With the declaration of Assembly elections in the State, Kerala is to witness a tough political battle ahead. As the Opposition, the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by the Congress, has been raking up all possible allegations and controversies and turning them into political ammunition against the ruling Left, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself has come to the fore with clear answers to all the allegations.

The Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPIM) state secretariat, which met on March 4, has decided against allotting seats to five of the incumbent Ministers and Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan, besides three other legislators, said Vijayan during a press meet after the CPM state secretariat meeting.

CPM Ministers E P Jayarajan, Dr Thomas Isaac, G Sudhakaran, A K Balan and C Ravindranath would be deprived of Assembly seats this time. Besides, the CPM State secretariat has decided to strictly follow the norm of not giving another chance to the legislators who have already contested twice and won, including Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan. MLAs Ayisha Potti, Raju Abraham and A Pradeep Kumar would also lose their chances this time.

This direction on candidate selection is based on the party’s decision that the candidates who have won in two consecutive elections need not be fielded again.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the central agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) for its attack on the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), ahead of polls. Speaking at the press meet, the CM alleged that the ED’s present move is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct to be observed when the election has been declared in the State.

He also clarified that funds raised for the KIIFB would surely be utilised here for the people. “We need good roads and quality health care. None should try to disrupt these”, Pinarayi Vijayan reminded. He slammed BJP and said that its strategies would not fruition in the State unlike in the rest of the country.

For whom has the ED sallied forth, asked the CM lashing out at the Central Government and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Launching a scathing attack at the UDF and addressing the Opposition as ‘controversy traders, the CM replied to each and every allegation made by the Opposition camp.

Referring to Ramesh Chennithala as the leader of the party which is up to a ‘shop clearance’, sarcastically, Pinarayi reminded of the recent civic body poll results and said, the UDF is thinking of spoiling everything. Stating that the LDF is sure about its stand against communalism, Pinarayi said the UDF has no such surety about itself. He alleged that that the BJP and the UDF are together trying to destroy the LDF. Congress is attempting to isolate the LDF and bring in BJP instead. The CM also reacted to the campaign statements that the BJP would flourish if Congress weakens. If it wins, the Congress party would merge with the BJP, he alleged.

The CM also justified conducting peace talks to end the political murders in Kannur. The CPM was not doing fraudulent activities on the sly but was holding talks to try to put an end to the political murders. Sri M, who served as a moderator for the talks is a secular yogi, and has no links with the RSS, Pinarayi clarified. He added that peace talks are nothing new in the State.