At the byelection convention of Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate Jo Joseph in the Thrikkakara Assembly constituency on Thursday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out at the Congress for its failure to combat communal forces and to defend the secular credentials of the country.
Just when the Chief Minister was doing the same, disgruntled Congress leader K.V. Thomas reached the dais amidst loud cheers. Prof. Thomas was welcomed by LDF convener E.P. Jayarajan with a shawl.
Mr. Vijayan said the situation in the Congress was so bad that leaders such as Prof. Thomas were willing to cooperate with the LDF in support of its development agenda.
The Congress leadership, he said, had failed to raise even a whimper of protest against the policies of the Sangh Parivar and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre, which had been systematically targeting the Christian and Muslim minority communities in the country. The Congress had even become the ‘B’ team of the BJP. It had become incapable of fighting the wrong economic policies of the BJP, he alleged.
Mr. Vijayan said the bypoll had presented the voters of Thrikkakara a unique opportunity to correct the mistake of electing a Congress leader last time. Indicating that the LDF strength in the Assembly would touch the magical figure of 100 with a win from the constituency, the Chief Minister said he wished to have Dr. Joseph in the Assembly to take forward the development programmes planned by the LDF for the State and the constituency.
Criticising Opposition parties for what he termed their negative approach, Mr. Vijayan said it was time for them to introspect on their approach to various issues concerning the State.
“Has any of the United Democratic Front MPs from the State bothered to raise the issue of development in the Lok Sabha, including the reluctance of the Centre to support the Kakkanad extension of the Kochi Metro? Did any of them flash a placard inviting the attention of the House to any of the burning issues of the State? The parliamentarians who were supposed to speak for the development of the State in the House were only bothered about picking up a fight with the police outside Parliament,” he alleged.
Listing out the development projects completed by his previous government and the latest initiatives, Mr. Vijayan asserted that the K-Rail project would become a reality and Thrikkakara would see a convergence of all the modern modes of public transport.
Poking fun at the UDF regarding the allegation that the LDF candidate was hand-picked by the Church, Mr. Vijayan said Dr. Joseph was indeed the candidate for the Assembly.
CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran presided.
A host of LDF leaders, including State Ministers, were present at the meeting.
