THIRUVANANTHAPURAMRSP leader NK Premachandran, who won from the Kollam Parliament constituency, said the policy shift of the CPM and Left front led to their massive defeat in the general elections.
He was addressing mediapersons at a ‘Meet the Press’ programme organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club on Saturday.
“The Sabarimala issue has impacted the elections and there was a minority consolidation against the CPM and the Left front. Also, the candidature of Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad acted a major catalyst that led to the UDF’s victory,” Premachandran said.
The RSP leader alleged three politburo members and three LDF ministers led the smear campaign and unleashed malicious propaganda against him. He said Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac stayed in a five-star hotel and spewed communal venom against him, which was totally unbecoming of a minister and a senior leader of the CPM.
Premachandran said the minister met Jamaath leaders and Church heads and campaigned against him on communal lines and tried to divide society. Premachandran said a Kozhikode-based event management company even tried to lure voters by offering cash, against which the UDF had lodged a complaint.