KANNUR: More pieces of evidence on the tacit deal between the UDF and BJP in this election are coming out daily, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Speaking to reporters at Pinarayi on Monday, he alleged both fronts have been sending out messages in this regard to their rank and file. His comments was in response to the NDA Thrissur candidate Suresh Gopi’s candid ‘desire’ to see KNA Khader of the Muslim League win in Guruvayoor.
Gopi, a Rajya Sabha member, also said CPM’s sitting MLA A N Shamseer should not win in Thalassery by any chance, hinting at the BJP supporting the UDF in Thalassery, too. The actor-politician made the statement to a TV news channel on Monday.“The statement that the UDF candidate will win in Guruvayur is not a slip of the tongue. Though other BJP leaders have not showed the guts to come out in the open about such secret pacts made between UDF and BJP, this statement exposes the deal,” Pinarayi said.
This is the extension of the old Co-Le-B (a pejorative acronym for Congress-League-BJP) alliance in the state, said the chief minister. Apart from the electoral adjustment, the two fronts also want to derail the development projects taken up by the present government.
“You should remember that BJP senior leader O Rajagopal had said local adjustments between the Congress and BJP are quite acceptable and more such adjustments needed to be made as the BJP has benefited through such deals.” Whenever such deals were made, BJP benefited, as in the case of Nemom, said Pinarayi. While ensuring UDF victories in some constituencies, BJP is ensuring that they too are benefited in some other constituencies.
Sabarimala is not an issue in this election. There are no problems for the devotees now.
Meanwhile, Suresh Gopi’s comment has put the BJP leadership in a spot.
BJP state president K Surendran, who is campaigning in Manjeshwar, dismissed Gopi’s statement as his ‘personal opinion’.
When asked if he would disown or distance himself from Suresh Gopi’s statement, Surendran said, “I am not saying I am disowning his statement. In public meetings during elections, it was common for leaders to make such statements.”
IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty said Khader did not need the BJP’s support to win in Guruvayoor. “He is everybody’s favourite,” he said.