News Analysis India

Tag: Kerala elections 2021

  • Home Minister Amit Shah describes Rahul Gandhi as ‘tourist politician’ at poll rally in Kerala’s Wayanad

    By PTI
    MEENANGADI: Taking a dig at the Congress, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said Rahul Gandhi is a “tourist politician” who had represented Amethi for 15 years in Parliament, before shifting to Wayanad in Kerala.

    He alleged for the Congress and the Gandhi family, people are just a vote bank and government a money bank.

    Shah also ridiculed the left and Congress for their poll pact in West Bengal and said the Communists and Congress need to merge and form a new party which can be called ‘Comrade Congress Party”.

    Launching his attack on Gandhi who was in neighbouring Kozhikode district for campaigning earlier in the day, Shah said: “This Wayanad is a also the constituency of Rahul baba. He was representing Amethi for 15 years. Nothing changed there. Now he has come here.”

    “I have never seen a tourist politician like Rahul baba. Sometimes he will be in Amethi, sometimes in Wayanad. He is here as a tourist and don’t expect any development from his side,” the union minister said.

    The UPA government was ruling for ten years.

    The people voted them to power for development.

    Instead they engaged in corruption and scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore, Shah alleged, adding “for the Congress and the Gandhi family, people are just a vote bank and government is a money bank.”

    Shah, who arrived here from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, was addressing party workers at Meenangadi in Wayanad campaigning for the BJP-NDA candidate C K Janu, a tribal leader who is contesting from Sultan Bathery.

    If BJP candidates are voted, Wayanad will be made the most developed district in the country, he said.

    Attacking the LDF and UDF, Shah said development has taken a back seat in Kerala since the last two decades.

    The state was once a favourite destination of tourists in the country, besides also being the most literate.

    But the LDF-UDF fronts, which have been ruling the state alternatively for several years, have stalled the state’s development and was engaged in corruption, appeasement politics and political violence, the BJP leader alleged.

    “The UDF-LDF indulge in appeasement politics while the BJP-NDA is for development politics,” he said.

    Attacking the Communists and the Congress, he said “they are confused.”

    He pointed out that in Kerala, they were rivals and fight against each other, while in West Bengal they are allies and embrace each other.

    “I would like to ask the Congress and Communists if you are doing politics of ideology or politics of power. Congress and Communists begin with the letter ‘C’ and confusion also begins with the C.”

    “They are confused about their policies, leadership and ideology and this will not help the state in any manner. They need to merge and form a new party which can be called ‘Comrade Congress Party,” Shah said, lacing his speech with sarcasm.

    The CPI(M) has links with the SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India), the political arm of the Popular Front of India (PFI), while the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League are allies, the Union minister said as he turned the heat on the LDF over the gold, dollar smuggling cases and the UDF in the Solar scam.

    The gold smuggling case relates to the seizure of around 30 kg of gold worth Rs 14.82 crore from a diplomatic baggage at the Thiruvananthapuram airport in July last year and the dollar scam pertains to alleged smuggling of USD 1,90,000 (equivalent to Rs 1.30 crore) by a former finance head of the UAE consulate.

    The Solar scandal, which hit the previous UDF government, relates to a couple cheating people of crores of rupees by promising to instal solar panels and offering franchise and jobs.

    Shah alleged that under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, gold smuggling took place and if the Congress-UDF comes to power, they will appoint those involved in the solar scam as chief minister.

    He also repeated his questions with regard to the gold smuggling case to Vijayan and sought answers from him before the April 6 assembly polls.

    On the Sabarimala issue, the union minister said when the state witnessed violent protests after the left government decided to implement the Supeme Court verdict, lathis were used against Ayyappa pilgrims, including women, mothers, children and the Congress remained silent.

    The BJP-NDA wants the temple administration to be handed over to devotees,Shah said.

    He claimed the communists were engaged in violent politics and have killed thousands of RSS workers.

    “The BJP cannot be threatened and will ensure that the Lotus blooms in the state,” Shah said.

    The Union Home Minister later held a road show at Kozhikode for party candidate M T Ramesh.

  • ‘They combined these two words again’: Salman Khurshid hits out at BJP on ‘Love Jihad’

    By ANI
    KOCHI: Reacting to Union minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan’s statement that the NDA would bring a law against Love Jihad in Kerala, former Union Minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid asked why the BJP has combined the words “love” and “jihad” apparently without understanding their meaning.

    Khurshid said, “I don’t know whether BJP members understand the English language. Do they know what is Jihad? And do they know what is love? They have combined these two words again.”

    Khurshid further said, “The Supreme Court has clarified in the case that they came from Kerala, clarified in cases that came from Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere. There is a right to autonomy and the right to dignity that every human being has. Every person under the Constitution has this right. And the implications of autonomy and equality and dignity. The implications of that can be seen in different cases on different facts. I am not quite sure that the judgment given by the Supreme Court has in any way endorsed what the BJP thinks.”

    “Frankly, who would endorse something the BJP thinks, because one doesn’t know on they think. I don’t know what they mean by it. What is it I wish they would explain. And one could disabuse them and say I am sorry but this is all you are talking about. Reality is completely different,” he said.

    On the NDA’s promise to bring a law to protect the traditions of Sabarimala, he said, “Sabarimala is as we all know an extremely important and sensitive subject. This subject is one on which the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench pronounced its judgement. Curiously, it was the only woman judge, Justice Malhotra who dissented and said the constitutional morality of our constitution doesn’t permit interference whereas four judges said that interference was justified.”

    “This is something that one can simply say it is the final word although there is four-judge majority in this. I think it has become more apparent that the way people have responded that this is not the final word. This is not the only area in which there is difficulty in how we and society perceive our traditional rights what we associate as being religious rights and the manner in which moral cause has sometimes interpreted has not been relevant,” the Congress leader said.

    He further said, “This is not something you should exploit for an election. This is a very important sensitive thing on which people may have to separate views. But the fact that you have a separate view shouldn’t mean that you should insult the view of the other side or that you should consider that to be relevant.”

    “I personally think and I believe all sensible people will say this. Sabarimala is the problem with we all have to internalise and find an ultimate working solution. It is not that something you should exploit for the purpose of an election and reduce it to slogans,” he added.

    The BJP has supported the remark of Kerala Congress (M) chief Jose K Mani who had said that the alleged ‘love jihad’ cases in Kerala should be studied and clarified if there is such suspicion.

    Speaking to ANI, Muraleedharan said BJP didn’t rake up the issue and the Christian community is worried about this. “BJP didn’t rake up the issue. This is an issue that has been there and alive in the society about which many community leaders had expressed their opinion. Christian community is worried about the issue that marriages are happening in the guise of love marriage ultimately aiming at conversion,” Muraleedharan said.

    “I would say Jose K Mani has raised worries and apprehensions of the Christian community. It is for mainstream parties to come out openly and express their opinions on the issue. BJP has responded to this and has come out openly to a live issue saying that there are apprehensions in minds of people and it should be addressed,” he said.

    State assembly elections for the 140-member Kerala will be held in a single phase on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

  • Kerala polls: Chacko joins NCP, pitches for Pawar’s leadership to raise Opposition unity

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Former Kerala Congress leader PC Chacko joined the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday.  

    “I am formally joining NCP today,” he said. The 74-year-old is a former Member of Parliament from Kerala’s Thrissur constituency.

    He headed the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G Spectrum during the UPA government (2009-2014).

    On March 10, he announced his decision to quit Congress over the alleged undemocratic way of selecting candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in Kerala which is scheduled for April 6.

    Earlier on Tuesday, he said that he would be meeting Sharad Pawar and a few other leaders.

    “Whatever crisis the party is facing, it needs to be discussed. I’m also meeting Sitaram Yechury and Ghulam Nabi Azad to discuss future course of action. I need to extend my support to the LDF (Left Democratic Front of Kerala). I’ll decide (on joining) after meeting Pawar sahib,” he said while talking to media on Tuesday.

    The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala is looking to replace the Communist-led Left Democratic Front government of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

    The state, which has never given a second consecutive term to the incumbent chief minister or alliance till now, could throw up a surprise this time.

    Chacko was welcomed into the NCP fold by Pawar, senior NCP leaders Praful Patel, Supriya Sule, Sunil Tatkare and others.

    Chacko recalled his association with Pawar when both of them were in the Congress.

    Prior to Chacko joining the NCP, Pawar met CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

    After formally joining the NCP, Chacko said the LDF will return to power in Kerala.

    The NCP is a constituent in the LDF in Kerala. Chacko said he will start campaigning for the LDF in a few days. 

    Announcing his resignation from the Congress last week, Chacko had alleged group interest in deciding the party’s candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls.

    Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi represents the Wayanad constituency in Kerala in the Lok Sabha.

    “What is needed is unity of the opposition. A united opposition should emerge as an alternative to the BJP. I do not see that initiative very much from the party that I was in earlier. I am sure that Pawar sahib, his leadership and contacts will be effective in forging the unity of the opposition,” said Chacko.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Kerala Assembly elections: BJP names ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan as its Chief Ministerial candidate

    By Express News Service
    KOCHI: ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan, who had served the Indian Railways and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for 67 years, will be the Chief Minister candidate of the NDA in the assembly polls.

    This was announced by BJP state president K Surendran at a reception accorded to his Vijaya Yatra at Thiruvalla. “The Kochi metro and timely completion of Palarivattom are typical examples of Sreedharan’s brilliance. If the Metro Man is given a chance, we believe that he will be able to execute the development plans mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Surendran said.

    Sridharan also decided to resign from his advisory position with the DMRC. After inspecting the reconstructed Palarivattom flyover in Kochi, he said the decision was taken as it is mandatory to resign before contesting an election.

    “I will soon submit my resignation as Principal Advisor of DMRC as it is mandatory before filing the nomination for the Assembly poll. However, I hope I’ll be able to monitor development projects as an MLA,” said Sreedharan after inspecting the flyover.

    The bridge, which developed cracks immediately after its inauguration in 2016, was rebuilt by DMRC in a record time of five months and 10 days. “The bridge will be handed over to the state government on Friday. They will decide on the day for reopening it for the traffic,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Sreedharan also surprised the BJP top brass as he hailed the Left-backed Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society Ltd for completing the Palarivattom flyover in a record time.

    Earlier, when reporters asked Sreedharan about his decision to enter politics inviting criticism from the Left Front and Congress, he said he was ready for both bouquets and brickbats. “I am a keen reader of the Bhagawad Gita. If we take a strong decision, it is quite natural that some will laud the decision, while others will criticise it. I am ready for both,” he said.

  • Pralhad Joshi slams Rahul, says he is trying to become an ‘actor on tractor’

    By PTI
    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after Rahul Gandhi took out a tractor rally in Wayanad in solidarity with protesting farmers, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday lashed out at the Congress leader, saying he was trying to become an “actor on tractor”.

    He also hit out at the poll-bound state’s two rival fronts, ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and opposition Congress-led UDF, saying they were “fighting ‘Kushti” in Kerala but have ‘Dosti’ in Delhi” and described it as “hypocricy”.

    “Rahul Gandhi is trying to become an actor on tractor,” Joshi, the BJP’s Kerala Assembly election incharge, told a press conference here.

    After taking out a tractor rally in his constituency on Monday in solidarity with the agitating farmers, Gandhi had said agriculture is the only business that belongs to “Bharat Mata” and called upon the people to “force” the government to take back the three farm laws.

    He alleged that the laws were designed to destroy the agriculture system in India and give the entire business to two to three friends of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Hitting out at the anti-BJP alliances at the centre and various states including poll-bound Kerala and West Bengal, Joshi said Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, who is supporting the Congress in Delhi, was not ready to accommodate that party in her state as it was becoming a “liability” for her.

    “LDF and UDF are fighting ‘Kushti’ in Kerala but have ‘Dosti’ in Delhi.”

    “Mamata Banerjee is supporting Congress party in Delhi and she is not ready to accommodate that party (in West Bengal) because Congress party is becoming a liability in the whole country for various regional parties,” he said.

    “Do you believe in democracy or do you believe in hypocrisy. You are trying to mislead the people,” Joshi said.

    Later, addressing a party meeting here, he alleged that both the LDF and the UDF have ruined Kerala with corruption, nepotism, scam and favouritism.

    “LDF is lying Democratic Front. UDF is Ulta-pulta Democratic Front”, he said, taking a jibe at both the alliances in the state.

    Joshi also interacted with leaders of NDA in the state and discussed the BJP-led front’s strategy in the upcoming elections.

    In a tweet, he said Kerala and its people should benefit from the “double engine government” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

  • UP Chief Minister is ‘ambassador of hate’, says CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat on Monday accused Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of being “an ambassador of hate” after his statement in Kerala that “love jihad is a conspiracy to make Kerala an Islamic state.”

    Speaking to ANI, the CPI(M) leader said, “He (Yogi Adityanath) is less of a chief minister and more of an ambassador of hate. He went to Kerala, where the unity of the people, ensures that the state is number one on the all-important social indicators like health, education, social security, food security.”

    “Adityanath only sees them through his blinkered vision. His aim is to divide the people of Kerala. But the people of Kerala are not going to give much importance to his words,” Karat further added.

    Kicking off BJP’s Vijaya Yatra in Kerala, Yogi Adityanath on Sunday had alleged that the United Democratic Front government was sleeping on the “conspiracy of making Kerala an Islamic state” in the guise of love jihad.

    Speaking at the BJP poll campaign in Kasargod, Yogi claimed that while the Kerala High Court had brought to attention ‘Love Jihad’ in 2009, the government has paid no heed to it.

    Yogi also said that people in Kerala must wake up and vote for Bharatiya Janata Party. (ANI)