THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP former state president Kummanam Rajasekharan’s statement that Nemom assembly constituency is “Kerala’s Gujarat” has kicked up a row. Both the ruling LDF and the Opposition UDF attacked the senior leader for his comments on the constituency, that elected the state’s first BJP legilslator O Rajgopal, in 2016.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala took strong exception to Kummanam’s statement. He said Kummanam has insulted the people of Nemom by likening the constituency to Gujarat. Chennithala said all sorts of inhuman activities have been happening in the BJP-ruled western state. He also exuded confidence that the UDF would wrest the Nemom seat in the upcoming assembly election.
CPM secretary in charge and LDF convenor A Vijayraghavan said Gujarat is known as the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, the icon of non-violence and world peace. But the image of the state was sullied by the BJP which unleashed a series of communal riots. He said it was highly unfortunate that Kummanam made such a comparison.
Despite the brickbats, Kummanam stood firmly by his statement and said the comparison with Gujarat was in terms of development and also the consistent faith the people of Nemom placed in the BJP.
“The people of Gujarat have continuously reposed their faith in the BJP due to the numerous development initiatives the party-led government has undertaken in the state. The people of Nemom too have placed their faith in the party in a similar fashion,” he said. Kummanam is widely tipped to be the BJP candidate from Nemom in the upcoming assembly election as sitting MLA O Rajagopal has not given any indication of contesting again from the constituency.