Suresh Gopi claims Pinarayi Vijayan invited him to join CPI(M)
Thiruvananthapuram: Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Suresh Gopi, has claimed that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan once invited him to join the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)].
Speaking at an event on Thursday, Gopi said, "Let him (Vijayan) deny it if he can. I told him that I cannot join the party as I do not like politics, and that was the same response I gave to all political leaders."
Gopi further stated that while he had initially resisted entering politics, certain incidents on August 2, 2014, compelled him to do so, though he did not elaborate on what those incidents were.
He also claimed that the CPI(M) had attempted to support him, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
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By-election result not a mandate for the government: Basavaraja Bommai
Bengaluru: The results of the by-elections in three constituencies do not represent a mandate for the state government, said MP Basavaraja Bommai, adding that ruling party MLAs are dissatisfied with the lack of development in the state.
Speaking to the media at the BJP office on Tuesday, he stated that by-elections typically favor the ruling government. "When we were in power, we won 13 out of 17 by-elections. The Congress should not assume that this is a verdict in their favor," he remarked.
Bommai emphasized that these results are confined to the constituencies where the by-elections were held. He also accused the state government of poorly implementing its guarantee schemes without adequate financial preparation, claiming that the schemes are being halted due to financial strain.
He alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government has borrowed over ₹1 lakh crore, leading to difficulties in financial management. Bommai pointed out that the state government is yet to release over ₹2,000 crore to local bodies, including village panchayats, as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.
"Anganwadi workers and contract workers are not receiving their salaries, and contractors are refusing to take up work due to non-release of funds, even after tenders have been floated," he added.
Responding to questions about internal dissent within the BJP, Bommai denied any significant issues, stating, "There is no dissent in the BJP. Everyone is committed to the party. There may be differing opinions on some matters, but I am confident that everything will be resolved within a month." He also noted that a motivated BJP team is actively working for the party.
