Senior Congress leader and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal has launched a sharp counterattack against the Communist Party of India (Marxist), labeling its recent allegations as "communal" and a desperate attempt to mask its own political failures. The MP's strong rebuttal came in response to remarks made by former minister and CPM leader AK Balan, who had attempted to link the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) with the Jamaat-e-Islami.
Venugopal Condemns CPM's 'Divisive' Rhetoric
In a forceful statement, Venugopal accused the CPM of spreading communal poison within society. He asserted that such statements were a clear reflection of the frustration within the Left Democratic Front (LDF) following its recent electoral setbacks. Instead of engaging in introspection to understand the reasons for its defeat, Venugopal claimed, the CPM has chosen a dangerous path of communal polarization.
"The remarks made by CPM leader AK Balan are purely communal in nature," Venugopal stated. He alleged that the party is deliberately issuing such inflammatory statements to divert public attention from its governance failures and its own political compromises.
Congress Leader Highlights CPM's SDPI Alliance in Alappuzha
Turning the tables on the CPM, Venugopal brought up the contentious issue of the LDF's alliance with the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in local body elections. He specifically referred to the recent standing committee election in the Alappuzha municipality.
"The CPM openly accepted the support of the SDPI to capture the standing committee chairman's post in Alappuzha," Venugopal pointed out. He highlighted the contradiction in the CPM's stance, questioning how the party could then allege that the Jamaat-e-Islami would control the home department if the Congress came to power.
Venugopal categorically denied any form of alliance between the Indian National Congress and communal forces. "We are not prepared to compromise with communal forces under any circumstances," he firmly declared, reiterating the party's secular principles.
Call for Accountability and Readiness for Elections
The Congress leader demanded that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan take responsibility for fostering such divisions within the state. He called on the CPM leadership to provide a clear explanation for its political understanding with the SDPI in Alappuzha, instead of leveling baseless allegations against the opposition.
Venugopal expressed confidence in the public's desire for change in Kerala. He stated that the people are seeing through what he described as the LDF government's attempts to conceal its administrative failures through communal rhetoric. "These allegations are aimed at spreading the poison of communal hatred in society," he warned.
On the upcoming elections, Venugopal asserted that the Congress party is fully prepared. "All arrangements are in place to win a large majority," he said, signaling the party's confidence. Regarding internal UDF matters, including candidate selection and the decision on the chief ministerial face for the assembly polls, he indicated that discussions would be held internally through established party procedures, and not debated in the public domain.
