Kerala Assembly Opposition Leader VD Satheesan unleashed a sharp critique against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI(M) on Tuesday, alleging a scripted communal campaign greenlit by the top leadership. The trigger was Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian’s inflammatory comments, which Satheesan portrayed as the culmination of a well-laid plan.
According to Satheesan, the blueprint unfolded methodically: Vijayan’s PR team primed national media in Delhi, the CM reiterated the contentious line in a media interaction, then feigned detachment. This was followed by echoes from select community figures, AK Balan, and Cherian’s explosive statement.
Satheesan branded Cherian’s words as unprecedentedly outrageous for a sitting minister, accusing him of oath-breaking communalism tailored for poll victories. ‘Why didn’t the CM correct him? Why not admit the strategy?’ he demanded.
He exposed CPI(M)’s ploy of engineering scandals from its own ranks to normalize hate speech, promising UDF’s unrelenting opposition in the legislature and streets.
Rejecting accusations of minority dependence, Satheesan underscored UDF’s cross-sectional support, including sweeps in CPI(M) bastions during local polls. He cautioned against the Left’s mimicry of RSS divisiveness in a state like Kerala, terming it dangerous folly.
Satheesan invoked history, noting CPI(M)’s validation of Muslim League’s secular credentials amid national turmoil post-Babri, when Kerala upheld harmony. Looking ahead, he foresaw 2026 voters burying CPI(M)’s communal gamble, with UDF’s secular vision enduring.
