KASARGOD: The CPM and the BJP started speaking in one voice as soon as Congress president Rahul Gandhi decided to contest from Wayanad, said Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. The Congress leader said he found it strange CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury’s observation that Rahul’s candidature in Wayanad was sending a wrong message. “If Rahul’s candidature is sending out a wrong message, Yechury should take the initiative to withdraw CPI’s candidate from the fray,” Chennithala told reporters in Kanhangad on Monday.
The CPI has fielded PP Suneer in Wayanad and its general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy had ruled out withdrawing the candidate. In the last party congress of the CPM, Yechury had proposed a secular alternative at the Centre and the West Bengal unit of the party proposed an electoral alliance with the Congress, he said. “The CPM’s Kerala leaders, who torpedoed the proposal then, are now talking of a secular alternative,” said Chennithala.
He said the Congress has no understanding with the CPM in the LS polls. “In today’s politics, the Left front has no relevance. It is a big zero in West Bengal and Tripura,” said Chennithala. “Rahul’s candidature from Wayanad has fired up the enthusiasm and confidence of the party workers and the UDF will register stellar victories in all the 20 seats in the states, the Opposition leader said.
Wayanad is a Hindu-dominated constituency: Oommeen Chandy
KOCHI: Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark that Congress leaders are scared of contesting from constituencies dominated by the majority community, former Chief Minister and AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy said Modi has made the statement without taking real facts into consideration. “The Hindu community is in majority in Wayanad constituency,” he said.
According to 2011 Census, Hindus comprised 49.48 per cent in Wayanad district, followed by Muslims (28.65 per cent) and Christians (21.34 per cent). Chandy said Rahul will certainly win Amethi too. “The BJP is attempting to make inroads to South India. In order to curtail this move, the party has decided to field Rahul from South India. He always has a special consideration to Kerala. That’s why he decided to contest from Wayanad, though Karnataka was also under consideration,” said Chandy. The BJP is the Congress’ main rival, he said.
Case registered against RMP leader KK Rema
KOZHIKODE: Police have registered a case against RMP leader KK Rema for allegedly making derogatory remarks against LDF candidate in Vadakara P Jayarajan. While addressing mediapersons in Kozhikode on March 17, Rema had said the RMP will support UDF in the Lok Sabha polls and that “a murderer should not win at any cost”. The Vadakara Judicial First Class Magistrate court on Monday ordered Edachery police to register a case against Rema in response to a complaint filed by CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan to the Central Election Commission and state election officer seeking action against the RMP leader for making derogatory remarks against Jayarajan. The case has been registered under section 171G (false statement in connection with an election) of the Indian Penal Code. In his complaint, Kodiyeri said Rema made the remarks to create misunderstanding among the voters and to defame the LDF candidate in public.
K Muraleedharan pledges support to RMP leader
KOZHIKODE: UDF candidate in Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency K Muraleedharan has pledged his full support to RMP leader K K Rema, after police registered a case against her for referring to P Jayarajan, as a ‘murderer’. “The present situation is such that speaking the truth can land one in jail. Those who murdered her (Rema’s) husband are mentally harassing her now. We will challenge the court order,” said Muraleedharan, who filed his nomination before the District Collector on Monday. “The court has ordered the police to register a case against Rema for speaking the truth. If this is the situation, the government is likely to put even the candidates in jail,” he said. “Our fight is against the politics of violence. It is not right to confront violence with violence. UDF and Rema are the only one’s speaking the truth, “he added.