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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2 people killed in collision between jet and vehicle at New York's LaGuardia Airport, source says
New York (AP): An Air Canada regional jet struck a firetruck on the runway after landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, crushing the nose of the plane, according to authorities and photos of the wreckage.
Two people were killed, according to a person familiar with the investigation into the crash. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an active investigation.
There were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the aircraft, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada, according to a statement from the airline. The flight originated at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, the major airport serving Montreal.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement that the jet had struck a rescue and firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident at about 11:45 p.m. The airport was closed as of 3 am to facilitate the investigation, officials said.
Photos and videos from the scene showed severe damage to the front of the aircraft, with cables and debris hanging from a mangled cockpit. Nearby, a damaged emergency vehicle lay on its side.
Stairways used to evacuate passengers from aircraft were pushed up to the emergency exits on the jet, a Bombardier CRJ. The impact left the jet with its crumpled nose tilted upward.
Jazz Aviation issued a statement confirming the accident and noting the passenger and crew list was preliminary and subject to confirmation.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the incident.
