THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday extended his full backing to UPA presidential candidate Meira Kumar saying the former Lok Sabha speaker embodied secularism at a time when communal powers have gained a stranglehold over the country.
Pinarayi was addressing a function at Mascot Hotel here where Kumar met legislators from the ruling LDF and Opposition UDF as part of the campaign for presidential poll. Several top leaders, including Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and former Chief Ministers V S Achuthanandan and Oommen Chandy were present.
“The prevailing political scenario in our country has prompted the two fronts(LDF and UDF) to come together,” he said, urging legislators to cast their vote to protect secularism and democracy.
Kumar, who met the assembled MPs and MLAs, said the nation will be at a crossroads with this election. “This is the first time the presidential election is fought over two ideologies. While one road leads to intolerance and fear, the other leads to tolerance and mutual respect,” she said.
“I had visited Kerala several times in the past. But this time I have come here with a specific purpose,” Kumar said.According to the diplomat-turned politico, “I started the campaign by offering tributes before Gandhiji’s statue at Sabarmati Ashram. It had a meaning which was to muster the energy needed to carry forward the principles and values the Mahatma embodied. When we say we fight for social justice, we fight for the most suppressed, the marginalised and the humiliated. It may sound hollow to those people but for us, it is our commitment,” she said.