THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress mouthpiece Veekshanam has taunted the LDF in the wake of its defeat in Aruvikkara and asked the CPI to abandon the sinking ship.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala added insult to injury by welcoming the CPI to the UDF, but CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the paper saying the suggestion was laughable.
Mr Chennithala said the CPI was most welcome to the UDF if the party would shed its enmity towards the front. CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran in his Facebook page said Veekshanam lacked the ‘vision’ of the communist parties.
The editorial asked the CPI to save itself from the sinking LDF ship and said if Left parties were willing to join the UDF, they would be welcomed with open arms.
Mr Chennithala said, “Left parties, including the CPI, should give up the blind hatred towards the Congress so as to counter the BJP effectively.”
Mr Pinarayi Vijayan commented that the CPI had been a part of the LDF for a very long time and that people would laugh off the Veekshanam’s spoof.
Mr Kanam Rajendran thanked the Congress for showering good words on the CPI and criticised the BJP alleging that it was trying to trigger communal violence to divide the people. It was the Congress which had helped the BJP to grow. The UDF won in Aruvikkara due to corruption and nepotism that have gripped the state, he said.
Muslim League general secretary K.P.A. Majeed told DC that a stage had come when the CPI could not go along with LDF any longer. “Muslim League wants the CPI to join the UDF and the CPI is seriously contemplating it. The CPI has to ditch the LDF to get respect,” said Mr Majeed.
