“The ‘dash’ is to be filled by themselves. Who is the chief minister who has been imprisoned for corruption? It is this person. I shall not say more about this now. After the election, I can say more about him,” incumbent Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told media persons after casting his vote in the Assembly elections on Thursday, April 9. He was referring to a recent political spat during which he called Congress’ Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy “Dash mone Revanth.”
Pinarayi Vijayan cast his vote at the RC Amala Basic UP School in Pinarayi, Kannur district, on Thursday morning. Expressing confidence that the LDF will be reelected for a third term, he said, “This election will determine Kerala’s future, a good step has been made in that direction. We have been able to make several achievements in all sectors. That should continue, the public in general does not wish for a gap in development.” He added, “The LDF got more seats in 2021 than it did in 2016. That was a recognition for our efforts. Without doubt, the people will give the LDF more seats this time around than we got in 2021.”
Pinarayi reiterated the government’s development claims, saying that the public will stand by the Left Democratic Front, irrespective of their political leanings. “All citizens … including those opposing LDF are standing by LDF, in the belief that the land needs development and progress. The public has a definitive experience, and the experience has convinced them that only the LDF can take development forward with commitment.”
It is the LDF that is capable of implementing development projects, he said, alleging that this was not the case in the state 10 years ago. “The public remembers a time when those in power had refused to implement schemes. That era from 10 years ago is still there in the public’s memory. They have also experienced how committedly the LDF government went ahead with such projects. Comparing the two, the public sees that the foundation of the development in the state in the last 10 years is due to the formation of the LDF government. Even those with opposing political views believe that the state should be governed by the LDF,” he said.
He also claimed that Kerala has low corruption rates because it is the LDF that is in power. Notably, one of the biggest campaign issues their opponents have raised against the LDF this poll season was the Sabarimala gold theft case.
When asked whether communalism has affected the voters, he said, “The public cannot be influenced using communal tactics. During the campaigns … I witnessed how all communities stood by the LDF. No communal agenda can break that spirit.”
When asked about bribery allegations, “The voters of Kerala are enlightened. They cannot be influenced by money.” A day before Kerala went to polls, BJP’s Palakkad candidate Shobha Surendran was embroiled in a cash-for-vote allegation. The BJP has also faced allegations regarding distribution of food kits to influence voters in Thrissur.
