In a sharp political attack, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and MP K C Venugopal has described Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's recent news conference as the lament of a defeated leader. Venugopal's strong remarks came during a media interaction at Sabarimala on Thursday, where he accused the Chief Minister of dangerously nurturing majority communalism in the state.
A Defeated Captain's Lament
Venugopal framed the CM's press conference as the outcry of a captain who has lost the battle, directly linking it to the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) severe punishment in the recent local body elections. He stated that the people of Kerala, who desire peace, would not believe the tactics of a leader standing with a broken heart. The Congress leader asserted that Vijayan, in his position, made what he called the most dangerous statement without considering his constitutional responsibility.
Accusations of Communal Posturing and Historical Distortion
Venugopal launched a multi-pronged assault on the Chief Minister's political stance. He accused Vijayan of acting as a suitable ally for the Sangh Parivar in Kerala, even voicing statements that the Parivar itself hesitates to make. The Congress MP highlighted what he called the double standards of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) towards Jamaat-e-Islami. If Jamaat-e-Islami stands with the LDF, it is a progressive movement; otherwise, it is a communal party; this is CPM's line, he alleged.
To substantiate his claim, Venugopal pointed to historical instances. He mentioned a 1996 article in the party mouthpiece Desabhimani that thanked the Jamaat, and recalled speeches of gratitude by senior CPM leaders like Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Pinarayi Vijayan himself. He also referenced the Marad riots and the Angadippuram temple fire incident, suggesting a long-standing political alignment.
Countering Claims on Corruption and Election Goals
The AICC general secretary did not spare the CM's governance claims either. He mockingly countered Vijayan's assertion of a corruption-free Kerala by bringing up the SIT report on the theft of Ayyappan's gold. Venugopal claimed that those involved were protected and even honoured. He stated this report was enough to challenge the CM's anti-corruption rhetoric.
In response to Vijayan's ambitious target of winning 110 seats in the upcoming assembly elections, Venugopal predicted it would result in the most disgraceful defeat in the history of the CPM. He credited the Chief Minister's current trajectory for pushing his party towards such a potential humiliation.
Venugopal also defended Opposition Leader V D Satheesan's meeting with religious leaders, clarifying it was a personal interaction and not an election strategy. He concluded by asserting that the Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF) respect all communities equally, unlike what he implied about the LDF's divisive politics.
