Kerala BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over Wayanad, accuses him of "divisive politics"

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 6: The BJP in Kerala on Saturday criticised AICC chief Rahul Gandhi for his remarks that the Narendra Modi-led government was neglecting south India.

The saffron party said the allegation was part of Gandhi's "divisive politics" and further criticised him for contesting the general elections from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency with the support of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).

Speaking to newspersons here, BJP state chief P S Sreedharan Pillai alleged the IUML and the Communist party had favoured the partition of the country. When the country gained independence, the Communists had wanted to divide the country into 16 sovereign republics and to carry out a referendum, Pillai alleged.

"Gandhi's allegation that the Modi government is neglecting south India is divisive politics. Even the Congress party has not raised such an allegation so far," he said, while speaking at a meet-the-press programme here.

The attitude of the Congress to field its party chief from a constituency with the support of the IUML, which had allegedly favoured the partition, was "wrong", Pillai contended.

Those who had suffered the ill-effects of partition were viewing this move with "grave concern", he said.

On his candidature from Wayanad, Gandhi had said he wanted to "send the message that India is one."

"There is a very strong feeling in south India that they are not being carried (along) by the current government. South India feels hostility from Mr Narendra Modi, they feel that they are not being included in the decisions of the country," Rahul Gandhi had said.

Pillai alleged the CPI(M)-led LDF government in the state was slapping cases against the leaders and cultural activists of his party in connection with the Sabarimala women's entry issue with "political vengeance". "It is illegal and unethical and the misuse of the criminal law," the BJP leader added.

PTI