Congress leaders in Kerala have launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after the party registered one of its most resounding victories in the state so far. The leaders unanimously demanded that Pinarayi should step down from his position and face the elections.
"The verdict is historic. We are bowing our head before the political enlightening of the people who believe in secularism. It's a victory of the secular forces who have subjectively analysed the facist rule of the Modi government," said KPCC (Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee) President Mullapally Ramachandran.
"The verdict also reflects strong objection towards the Left in the state. It has been proven that the CPI(M) is not capable of opposing the Sangh Parivar forces. The verdict also exposes the politics of violence of the CPI(M), the stubbornness, the limitless ego... The verdict shows that people had intense opposition to the way the government handled the issue of young women’s entry into Sabarimala and the deluge. Congress cadres and leaders have worked like an idol carved out of a single stone,” said Mullapally.
Mullapally said what we had said was 20 out of 20 seats for the Congress in the state which has almost come true now. “In most of the constituencies, UDF candidates are winning by a majority of more than 50,000 votes and in six constituencies, by more than one lakh votes. It's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who has led the Left to this situation. The role of the party secretary also is not insignificant,” he added.
Kerala Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala has also demanded the resignation of Pinarayi after it became clear that the ruling LDF was losing 19 of the 20 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Chennithala said that the 'thumping victory of the UDF in Kerala' is because of three reasons: one, Congress president Rahul Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad; two, a total distrust of the people of Kerala in Prime Minister Narendra Modi; and three, the anti-people voice of Pinarayi Vijayan.
Saying that it was a comprehensive victory, Chennithala added, "There has been no such precedence of such a massive victory for the UDF, which implies that the people of the state have accepted what the Congress put forward.”
Pinarayi Vijayan has proved that he is Gorbachev of the Communist party of Kerala. His role in giving this kind of victory for Modi government is not small. We aren't happy about the Left's failure, what we wanted was a secular force at the national level. It was Pinarayi Vijayan and the Kerala leaders that worked against the secular attempts of Rahul Gandhi, which was backed by the party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury. The CM should quit and face elections. The people of Kerala have rejected the policies of the Pinarayi Vijayan government. He has no moral right to continue in power for a single moment. Also, it's proved that Kerala is not a fertile land for the BJP," Chennithala said.
AICC General Secretary Oommen Chandy said, “It's an approval for the UDF’s policies on faith, political violence and campus politics. We are not arrogant of our victory but accept it with humility. UDF stood with the people and the devotees and the victory is a reward for that. We will keep the faith that people have showed in us.”