THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reaffirmed the CPM’s uncompromising anti-communal stance, rejecting claims that the party sought support from the SDPI in the assembly elections. He stressed that voters opposed to the BJP naturally align with the LDF. Pinarayi's remarks came in response to questions about the SDPI’s open support in the Nemom constituency, where the LDF is locked in a tough contest with the BJP. He explained that the LDF was able to counter the BJP’s lone seat in Nemom—won earlier with Congress backing—thanks to the support of minority communities.
“We have an uncompromising stand against communalism, whether majority communalism, which I see as the bigger threat, or minority communalism. In the last ten years, there have been no communal riots in the state because of this stand,” Vijayan said at a media briefing at the party headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.
He highlighted the shift in minority communities’ outlook toward the LDF, attributing it to their experience over the past decade. He added that the party has consistently defended minority rights, citing its opposition to central government policies such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the recent Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) amendment. He accused the Congress of aligning with communal forces by seeking SDPI support in earlier elections and by adopting a soft stance on RSS-driven policy changes at the Centre.
Responding to criticism that he avoided media questions during a recent press interaction, Vijayan described the incident as a “new experience” and clarified that he had ended the press conference only because his allotted time had expired. He said it was unfortunate that the matter was misrepresented. “I regulate my interaction to 30–40 minutes due to the busy election schedule. Answering the first two questions took up most of the time. I take questions from all within the time frame, but I cannot answer those that remain in your mind,” the CM said.
The chief minister also dismissed speculation about a face-to-face debate with Opposition Leader VD Satheesan, making it clear that the exchange would continue on social media. Meanwhile, Satheesan, who had earlier expressed readiness for a direct debate, reiterated his call for the Chief Minister to participate.