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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge with party leaders K C Venugopal and Imran Pratapgarhi, among others, during a public meeting in Kozhikode on Wednesday. (PTI)
The Congress party stepped up the Assembly election campaign in Kerala on Wednesday with its president Mallikarjun Kharge attending a UDF rally in Kozhikode, which Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi addressed virtually. In their speeches, Kharge and Rahul alleged that there was a secret understanding between the CPIM and the BJP.
Both Congress and CPI(M) are partners of INDI alliance elsewhere in the country, but rivals in Kerala.
Kharge said: “People say there is a secret understanding between CPIM and BJP, and it has been named Communist Janata Party. BJP is fielding weak candidates to the LDF. They are not trying to win, but trying to help the LDF win. Every vote to BJP is a vote to LDF, which claims to be secular, but it is helping the BJP which is against the minorities,’’ said Kharge.
In his address, Rahul also harped on the alleged CPIM-BJP deal. “There are only two parties fighting elections in Kerala. One is UDF and the other one is a partnership between LDF and BJP. The UDF unites people, listens to people and empower them. LDF and their hidden partners divide people. Modiji promised 2 crore jobs a year and your chief minister (Pinarayi Vijayan) promised 40 lakh jobs. After a decade, we find they have not given jobs, but destroyed dreams. Neither the BJP nor the LDF believe that they are answerable to the people of Kerala. The policy of LDF cannot be differentiated from that of BJP,’’ he said.
Recalling that all Opposition leaders fighting BJP are facing cases and are being interrogated by central agencies, Rahul said, “I want to ask people of Kerala why does BJP not attack the Kerala CM. Why is the corruption case against the CM not going anywhere. It is the best proof of the collusion between the BJP and the LDF.’’
Congress leaders also announced five guarantees if the UDF is voted back to power in Kerala. It promised free travel in state-run buses for all women, a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for college-going girls, increase in monthly welfare pensions from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000, a Rs 26 lakh health insurance cover for families and interest-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh for youths to start enterprises.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
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