MALAPPURAM: The sudden ‘Left turn’ of SDPI, which was once critical of the government’s alleged pro-Sangh Parivar lenience, has hogged the limelight as the poll campaign entered the last leg. The turn of events has caught CPM off-guard because till now the party has been accusing UDF of accepting the Welfare Party of India’s support, ‘the proponents of the ideology of theocratic state.’
Now the party has landed in an unenviable position where it finds it difficult either to refuse the votes offered by SDPI or to welcome support of an organisation, which CPM had earlier described as ‘extremist.’
In every interaction with the media in the past few days, LDF leaders have failed to give a direct reply on accepting SDPI support. CPM state secretary M V Govindan said he will answer the question after the Leader of Opposition gives reply on the Jama’at support to UDF.
Asked about SDPI support, LDF candidate in Nemom, V Sivankutty, said he would not say he doesn’t want votes from a particular group. CM Pinarayi Vijayan said the LDF has not struck alliance with any organisations outside the front. “Some groups which wanted to ensure BJP’s defeat might have exercised their franchise in LDF’s favour. It cannot be construed as an alliance,” he said.
Meanwhile, SDPI state president C P A Latheef lashed out at V D Satheesan for asserting that UDF doesn’t need the party’s vote. Addressing a press conference at Malappuram, he said UDF leaders, including P K Kunhalikutty and Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thagal, have requested SDPI not to field its candidate in Manjeshwar.
“K C Venugopal has stated that Congress will accept votes from every corner. Is Satheesan bigger than Venugopal,” he asked.
Latheef said LDF local leadership had sought votes for its candidate in Nemom constituency.
V D Satheesan said that it was the unanimous decision of the UDF leadership not to accept the support of the SDPI. Satheesan added that CPM has no qualm in seeking the votes of communalists of all hues.
At the same time, K M Shaji, IUML leader and candidate in Vengara, has asked the CPM leaders to come to the constituency and declare publicly that the party does not need SDPI votes.