Assembly Polls: Kerala CM hits back at 'CPM-BJP deal' charge by Congress
Thiruvalla (Kerala)(PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday alleged that a tacit understanding between the Congress and the BJP had paved the way for the saffron party's victory in Nemom during the 2016 Assembly elections, as he rejected fresh Opposition claims of a "CPM-BJP deal" in multiple constituencies.
While addressing a press conference here, Vijayan rejected allegations raised by the Congress that the CPI(M) and the BJP had struck an understanding in around 10 seats, including Palakkad in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Turning the tables on the Congress, the chief minister said the party had a history of entering into secret ties with the BJP and pointed to Nemom in 2016 as a key example.
He alleged that a significant drop in Congress votes in the constituency had helped the BJP secure its only seat in the Assembly, describing it as part of a "deliberate political arrangement" to ensure the victory of another party candidate in a different segment.
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"The Left parties, especially the CPI(M) has always adopted an uncompromising stand against the RSS and the BJP. No one can deny this," the veteran claimed.
Vijayan further accused the Congress and its leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, of acting as a "B team" of the BJP in various political contexts.
Referring to political developments in Delhi, he claimed that the Congress workers had burst crackers to celebrate the arrest of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that the party chose to oppose the AAP rather than unite against the ruling dispensation.
He also said attempts to establish links with the RSS were made by the Congress in the past, while asserting that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) had consistently maintained a firm stand against both the RSS and the BJP.
Recalling the alleged "Co-Le-B" alliance in the past, Vijayan said such alignments were ultimately rejected by the electorate.
The "Co-Le-B" alliance--referring to the Congress, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and the BJP--is a political allegation often raised by the CPI(M) in Kerala. It is used to suggest a secret understanding among these parties, aimed at working together strategically to defeat the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in elections in the past.
Maintaining that the current allegations of a CPM-BJP deal would not stand scrutiny, the chief minister said the Congress had failed to bring together opposition forces in several parts of the country to effectively counter the BJP.
The controversy comes in the wake of claims by Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, who recently alleged that the CPI(M) and BJP had an understanding in about 10 constituencies, including Palakkad, in the April 9 assembly polls.
Meanwhile, Vijayan said Kerala's financial situation had shown improvement, citing increased tax and non-tax revenues.
However, he alleged that the state was being denied its rightful share by the Centre and accused the BJP-led union government of attempting to hinder development activities.
He added that Kerala had nonetheless achieved notable development despite these challenges.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
