Palakkad: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Monday intensified his attack on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, targeting him twice in a single day as the election campaign entered its decisive phase.
While his first salvo came at Thrissur, the second was delivered at Palakkad, underlining a sharpened focus on the Left leadership.
With campaigning peaking ahead of polling, Rahul has increasingly trained his guns on Vijayan, alleging an unspoken understanding between the ruling CPI(M) and the BJP.
He claimed that Kerala’s political contest is no longer a straightforward bipolar fight, but one where the Congress led UDF stands alone against both the CPI(M) led LDF and the BJP.
Launching a scathing critique, Rahul said government publicity across Kerala revolves solely around the Chief Minister, projecting him as the only leader capable of governing the state.
“This is exactly what PM Modi has done nationally,” he remarked, drawing parallels between Vijayan’s governance style and that of the Prime Minister.
He accused the Left government of straying from its ideological moorings, branding it a “pro capitalist regime” that no longer adheres to Leftist principles.
According to him, several former Left leaders have already shifted allegiance and are now contesting with UDF backing, an indication of internal dissent within the LDF.
This includes three top former CPI(M) leaders, including two time State Minister G. Sudhakaran.
Rahul further alleged that even grassroots Left supporters are disillusioned, citing what he described as the Chief Minister’s growing “arrogance”.
He questioned why the BJP has refrained from directly attacking Vijayan in Kerala and why key issues, including the alleged Sabarimala gold smuggling case, have not been raised by the Prime Minister.
Raising concerns over the selective use of central agencies, Rahul asked why the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has pursued cases against him while not questioning the Chief Minister’s family.
He alleged that both PM Modi and Vijayan are engaged in a tacit arrangement to shield each other.
Despite sustained attacks from the BJP and RSS, Rahul said he has received strong support from people across Kerala, including sections within both the UDF and LDF, as the campaign heads into its final stretch.
Kerala goes to the polls on Thursday to elect 140 new legislators.
(IANS)
