Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar Condemns CM Vijayan's Remarks as 'Shameless' Bid for Muslim Votes
In a sharp political exchange, Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has strongly criticized Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for equating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the Indian National Congress. Chandrasekhar labeled this comparison a "shameless attempt" aimed at attracting Muslim voters in the lead-up to the state assembly elections.
Chandrasekhar Accuses CPM and Congress of Misleading Kerala Voters
Chandrasekhar, who is the BJP candidate from Nemom, accused both the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) and the Congress of engaging in deceptive tactics. He highlighted that while these parties project rivalry within Kerala, they are formally allied in other states such as Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. "Don't you find it amazing comedy that the Congress is accusing the BJP of being the B-team of the CPM, and the CPM is accusing the BJP of being the B-team of the Congress," he stated in an interview with ANI.
He further elaborated, "When they are in a formal alliance in other states, it is like saying people of Keralam are fools to believe this kind of nonsense. Just across the border, they are contesting together, and they have the gall to mislead the people of Keralam and say that they are not in an alliance with each other."
Allegations of Vote Consolidation Strategy
The BJP leader alleged that both the CPM and Congress are attempting to consolidate minority votes by positioning themselves as the primary opponents of the BJP. "This is a shameless attempt with only one goal: both Congress and CPM are desperate to get the votes of the Muslim community. The only way they can get these votes is by pretending that they are the ones opposing the BJP," Chandrasekhar asserted.
He cited the Telangana elections as an example, claiming that a similar strategy was employed against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). "Congress did it successfully in Telangana. They manufactured a controversy that the BRS is a B-team of the BJP. Sadly, the Muslim vote abandoned the BRS and went to Congress. But people of Keralam will not be fooled by you. They have seen 70 years of corruption, negligence, and appeasement and have said enough," he added.
Background: Vijayan's Criticism of BJP and Congress
Chandrasekhar's response comes after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in an interview with ANI, criticized both the BJP and Congress for having similar stances on key issues, particularly regarding West Asia. "On such matters, both Congress and the BJP have the same stance. That is why when the BJP came to power, it began to implement Congress policies more intensely," Vijayan remarked.
Vijayan also expressed confidence that the BJP would not secure any seats in the upcoming assembly polls, stating, "I am firmly convinced that the BJP will not get even a single seat in this Assembly election."
Chandrasekhar Rejects Vijayan's Assertions
Rejecting the chief minister's predictions, Chandrasekhar emphasized that electoral outcomes are determined by voters, not political opponents. "Tragedy is that he (Vijayan) is not the one to decide. The voters will decide. He said that we would not get the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, but we got it," he countered.
He further asserted the BJP's growing influence in Kerala, describing it as "the largest political party in the world" and an emerging force in the state's politics. Chandrasekhar accused both the CPM and Congress of being "scared to death" of the BJP's rise.
Election Schedule and Context
Kerala is set to vote in a single phase on April 9, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4. This political clash underscores the intense competition and strategic maneuvering as parties vie for dominance in the upcoming assembly elections.
