Pinarayi Vijayan slams Cong for poll debacle, draws sharp reaction

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday criticised the Congress over its loss in assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, saying it was a result of greed and lust for power, drawing a sharp reaction from senior Congress leader V D Satheesan.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress over its debacle in the recent assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. Vijayan alleged that the Congress's greed and lust for power led to its defeat, drawing a sharp response from senior Congress leader V D Satheesan.

Vijayan: Congress's arrogance led to its downfall

Addressing a press conference in Thrissur, Vijayan said that the Congress thought it could defeat the BJP on its own and hence did not join forces with other opposition parties in the three states. "They were greedy and lusted for power. They wanted it all for themselves. That is what led to this situation in those states. If everyone was together, the result would have been entirely different," Vijayan said.

Satheesan hits back at Vijayan

Reacting to Vijayan's criticism, Satheesan said that the Kerala Chief Minister appeared happier with the Congress's defeat than BJP Kerala chief K Surendran. He also accused Vijayan of being a cheater for blaming the Governor in connection with the Kannur University vice-chancellor's appointment.

Satheesan alleged that it was Vijayan who had pressured the Governor to re-appoint the vice-chancellor. "Vijayan is the one who helped to weaken the alliance for the sake of the Sangh Parivar, and therefore, we do not want any advice from him," Satheesan said.

Vijayan: Congress's non-secular statements contributed to its loss

Vijayan also alleged that Congress leader Kamal Nath's stand against joining forces with the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Madhya Pradesh led to the party's defeat there. He said that veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had offered to share seats with the SP, but Nath was against it.

The Kerala Chief Minister also claimed that the Congress's refusal to work with other secular parties, including the CPIM, in Rajasthan led to the party's defeat there. He said that the CPIM lost two of the seats it held earlier, albeit by small margins, due to the Congress's arrogance.

Vijayan: Congress needs to introspect

Vijayan said that the Congress needs to introspect and understand why it is repeatedly losing elections. He said that the party's leaders need to take responsibility for the defeats and work towards rectifying their mistakes.

The Kerala Chief Minister also alleged that Nath made some non-secular statements during the poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh, which contributed to the Congress's loss. "He came to the forefront as a Hanuman sewak. The message it sent out was troublesome. What was the idea or intent of his statements? He himself led the way to becoming the B team of the BJP," Vijayan said.

Satheesan accuses Vijayan of being the main culprit

Stung by Vijayan's criticism, Satheesan alleged that the Kerala Chief Minister was the main culprit in the Kannur vice-chancellor re-appointment issue and that is why he was not seeking the resignation of state Higher Education Minister R Bindu for writing letters to the Governor on the issue.

He also criticized the ongoing Nava Kerala Sadas, the state government's outreach program, by terming it an obscene drama. Satheesan alleged that instead of sitting in the state capital and working to resolve the financial crisis in Kerala, the Chief Minister and his cabinet went on a tour for 44 days.

The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) also claimed that even the Kerala High Court has said that the government has no authority to collect money from panchayats for the program. Satheesan accused the Left government of cheating the public as the state finance minister has directed that checks or more than Rs 1 lakh should not be encashed.

The Congress's debacle in the recent assembly elections has sparked a war of words between the party and the CPIM. While Vijayan has blamed the Congress's arrogance and greed for its defeat, Satheesan has accused the Kerala Chief Minister of being the main culprit in the Kannur vice-chancellor re-appointment issue. It remains to be seen how this war of words will impact the political landscape in Kerala and whether it will have any bearing on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024.