Bid to block his car in Kerala conspiracy by vested interests, says Yediyurappa
Bengaluru, Dec 24: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday termed as a "conspiracy by vested interests" the attempt by pro-CP (M) activists to block his car in Kerala and said such an incident should not lower the dignity of the state, known as the "God's Own Country".
Yediyurappa, currently on a personal visit to temples and religious places in the neighbouring state, also said it was wrong to blame all Keralites for the incidents.
BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje termed it an act of "Communist goons" and lashed out at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not providing adequate security to Yediyurappa, and turning the state into a "state of goons".
Yediyurappa was shown black flags by some activists of Student Federation of India and Democratic Youth Federation of India who also attempted to block his car in Kannur district on Tuesday.
Earlier, the pro-Congress Kerala Students Union (KSU) and Youth Congress workers also waved black flags at the convoy of Yediyurappa, who also encountered a similar protest on Monday in Thiruvananthapuram by the YC workers over the detention of Kerala-based journalists in Mangaluru last week.
Kerala Police said they removed the activists and around 20 had been taken into custody.
"The incident during visit to Kerala temple is a conspiracy by vested interests. I'm someone who has immense devotion for God from the beginning. This is my personal visit. Blaming all Keralites for the heinous act of a few is wrong. Let such an incident in the god's own country not lower the dignity of Kerala," Yediyurappa tweeted.
However, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje termed it an act of "communist goons" and lashed out at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not providing adequate security to Yediyurappa, and turning it into a "state of goons".
"CM @BSYBJP's convoy was attacked by the Communist goons in Kannur today. Kerala CM @vijayanpinarayi has made it a state of goons, he failed again to provide adequate security to @CMofKarnataka. This shows TOLERANCE level of preachers of the tolerance," Karqandlaje tweeted along with a video of the incident.
The activists of the SFI and DYFI waved black flags, raised slogans and tried to stop the car of Yediyurappa at Pazhayangadi near Kannur, but were chased away by the police.
Police had on Monday taken into custody at least 20 activists of the Youth Congress, for allegedly attempting to show black flags to the Karnataka Chief Minister in Thiruvananthapuram protesting the "illegal" detention of Kerala journalists in Mangaluru.
The journalists, covering the death of two people in police firing during protests over the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act on December 19, were later let off.
The issue had triggered protests by journalists in Kerala and Vijayan had taken up the matter with Yediyurappa, who then said police had questioned some people in the backdrop of the violence in Mangaluru and on coming to know they were reporters, escorted them till the Kerala border.
ಕೇರಳದ ದೇಗುಲಕ್ಕೆ ತೆರಳಿದಾಗ ನಡೆದ ಘಟನೆ ಪಟ್ಟಭದ್ರ ಹಿತಾಸಕ್ತಿಗಳ ಸಂಚು. ಮೊದಲಿನಿಂದಲೂ ನಾನು ದೈವತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಪಾರ ನಂಬಿಕೆ ಇಟ್ಟುಕೊಂಡವನು. ಇದು ನನ್ನ ವೈಯುಕ್ತಿಕ ಭೇಟಿ. ಕೆಲವರ ಕುಕೃತ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಎಲ್ಲ ಕೇರಳಿಗರನ್ನೂ ದೂಷಿಸುವುದು ತಪ್ಪು. ದೇವರ ನಾಡಿನಲ್ಲಾದ ಇಂತಹ ಘಟನೆ ಕೇರಳದ ಘನತೆಯನ್ನು ತಗ್ಗಿಸದಿರಲಿ.#kerala
— B.S. Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) December 24, 2019
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
