Congress ready to strike deals with communal forces for votes, alleges CM Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday accused the Congress of being willing to strike secret deals with communal forces, despite publicly claiming to stand for secularism.

"For some seats and votes, we will not accept political corruption," the veteran CPI(M) leader said, warning that such compromises could weaken Kerala’s secular fabric and social harmony.

Responding to a query at a press conference here, Vijayan alleged that the Congress has, in the past, worked indirectly with the BJP and other communal forces to gain political advantage.

He said this approach was visible several years ago when what he described as a Congress-Muslim League-BJP (Co-Li-Bi) understanding emerged in certain constituencies.

According to him, such arrangements were attempted in the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency and the Beypore Assembly constituency.

"The objective was to help people loyal to the BJP enter the Assembly and Parliament through indirect support," he said.

However, Vijayan noted that voters in Kerala remained alert and cautious. "The people did not accept this move, and the candidates in those constituencies were defeated." Despite electoral setbacks, the CM claimed that such behind-the-scenes dealings continued over time.

Recalling earlier political developments, he said that when the Congress-led government was in power in the state, a senior RSS leader had openly stated that the government survived because of support in around 40 seats.

"This clearly shows that there were under-the-table understandings," Vijayan alleged.

He also referred to past elections in Nemom, where veteran BJP leader O Rajagopal had won.

"These are not isolated incidents. They show a pattern," he said.

Pointing to recent electoral trends, the Chief Minister cited the Thrissur Lok Sabha election, where the BJP candidate Suresh Gopi emerged victorious.

He claimed that the UDF's vote share dropped by around 86,000 votes in the constituency.

"When you analyse the numbers carefully, it becomes clear how the BJP later came to power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation," he said, alleging a tacit understanding between the Congress and the BJP.

Vijayan said such political practices raise serious questions about the future of secularism in society.

"We need to examine whether our society is failing in upholding secular values," he said.

Vijayan cautioned that if Kerala moves towards the kind of political climate seen in other parts of the country, it risks losing its "Kerala thanima"--its unique cultural identity and tradition of secular coexistence.

Reiterating his party's stand, the Chief Minister said the Left would not compromise on principles for electoral gains.

"For a few seats or votes, we will not barter away secularism or encourage political corruption," he said, calling on people to remain vigilant against such alliances. PTI NDN TGB ROH