Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday hit out at the Opposition front UDF, stating that the Congress party, which leads the front, no longer takes decisions on its own and that it was its ally, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which reins the party. Pinarayi Vijayan, in a Facebook post, said the "deplorable state of affairs" of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) was due to the "shamelessness of the Congress" to do anything for a few votes. Meanwhile, IUML leaders have rebutted the claim, stating that the CM was playing the communal card.
Incidentally, there have been differences between the Congress and IUML after the UDF alliance decided to partner Welfare Party of India (WPI), the political wing of Islamic organisation Jamaat-e-Islami. The IUML had pressed for a ‘local level adjustments’ with WPI in 12 districts. The Congress party’s central leadership was not in favour of bringing on board a communal outfit. Some of the major Muslim organisations, too, had warned the Congress of aligning with WPI. Despite this, Congress went ahead to form an alliance with WPI, putting the future of the alliance at risk.
"It is a strange experience in politics for one political party to dictate who should lead another party. Such extraordinary and anti-democratic things are happening in the UDF. It seemed like the League would take over the leadership of the UDF after the results of the local body elections came out. Has the League become a centre for commenting on the internal affairs of the Congress and deciding who should lead the Congress?" Pinarayi Vijayan wrote.
Pinarayi claimed it was clear from the statements of the League and the Congress leaders that the IUML, the second largest ally of UDF, was able to persuade the Congress in Kerala to form an alliance with the communal parties, despite the opposition of the Congress national leadership.
He added that the statements of various party leaders in UDF show that there is nothing more to expect from the front which has lost secularism and democratic values.
Addressing a press meet, Chennithala, after the high-power meeting of the UDF, claimed the CPI(M) was trying to project the BJP as the Opposition rather than the UDF.
"LDF got 10,114 seats while the UDF bagged 8,022 seats and the BJP 1,600. This election proved that the BJP will not survive in Kerala. They could prove their presence only in a few pockets. The UDF still stands strong. But the CPI(M) is trying to project BJP as an Opposition rather than the UDF," Chennithala said.
He said the Front accepts that there were some shortcomings on its part. "We will address them, we will correct these shortcomings and fight against this government's corruption," Chennithala added.
IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty, who was also present at the press meet, said the League had never interfered in the internal matters of the Congress.
"I would like to make it clear that we have never interfered in the matters of the Congress party of its leadership. That was a cheap allegation. The Chief Minister is playing the communal card," the IUML leader alleged.