The CPI-M leader was hospitalized at AIIMS on August 19 for treatment of a chest infection resembling pneumonia….reports Asian Lite News
CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, who had been receiving treatment in the intensive care unit at AIIMS, passed away on Thursday at the age of 72.
The CPI-M leader was admitted to AIIMS on August 19 for the treatment of a pneumonia-like chest infection.
He was being treated for acute respiratory tract infection and had been on respiratory support for some days now, as per a CPI-M statement on Tuesday, adding his condition was “critical but stable”. A multidisciplinary team of doctors was tending to him, it added.
Yechury had succeeded Prakash Karat as the CPI-M chief in 2015.
The Left leader, who recently underwent a cataract surgery, was a member of the CPI-M’s Politburo, the top decision-making body, for over three decades.
He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2005 to 2017.
Mourning his passing away, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said: “Sitaram Yechury ji was a friend. A protector of the Idea of India with a deep understanding of our country”.
“I will miss the long discussions we used to have. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and followers in this hour of grief,” he said in a post on X.
“ADIEUCOMRADE Sitaram Yechury Students’ Federation of India dips its banner in honour of our beloved comrade, former All India President of SFI and General Secretary of CPI(M), Sitaram Yechury,” the party’s student wing said on X.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a post on X, said: “Sad to know that Sri Sitaram Yechury has passed away. I knew the veteran parliamentarian that he was and his demise will be a loss for the national politics. I express my condolences to his family, friends and colleagues”.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said: “Deeply saddened by the passing of Sitaram Yechury Ji. His contributions to public life will always be remembered. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time. Om Shanti”.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said: “I am deeply saddened by the tragic demise of veteran CPM leader, Sitaram Yechury ji. We had many years of working relations in the Parliament. Extending my deepest condolences to his family, colleagues and admirers”.
New Delhi: CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury shows his inked finger after casting his vote during the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections
Mr Yechury was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on August 19 for the treatment of a pneumonia-like chest infection….reports Asian Lite News
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury’s condition is “critical” and he is on respiratory support at AIIMS Delhi, his party said on Tuesday.
The 72-year-old Mr Yechury is being treated for acute respiratory tract infection at the ICU in AIIMS, it said in a statement.
A multi-disciplinary team of doctors is closely monitoring the condition of Mr Yechury, which is critical at this time, the party said.
Mr Yechury was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on August 19 for the treatment of a pneumonia-like chest infection.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday wished CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury a speedy recovery.
Yechury, admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on August 19 for the treatment of a pneumonia-like chest infection, is on respiratory support, his party said.
Chief Minister Stalin expressed hope that the left party leader would regain strength soon due to medical treatment.
“Deeply concerned to hear about Comrade @SitaramYechury’s health. Wishing him a speedy recovery and hoping the dedicated efforts of the medical team will help him regain strength soon,” Stalin said in a post on the social media platform X.
Sitaram Yechury promised that if the party comes to power, then it is committed to scrapping the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)…reports Asian Lite News
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday released its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury in the presence of senior party leader Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat and Nilotpal Basu promised that if the party comes to power, then it is committed to scrapping the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
After releasing the party manifesto, Yechury said at a press conference at the party office in Delhi that the CPI(M) pledges to fight for an uncompromising adherence to the principle that religion is separated from politics, the state, the government and administration. It will fight for a law against hate speech and crimes. It is committed to scrapping the CAA, he said.
CPI(M) in a Manifesto said that it stands for the restoration of the constitutional rights of the states which have been severely diluted by the Modi government. The CPI(M) stands for devolution of 50 per cent of the total collection of Central taxes to the states, including share of surcharges and cess levied by Centre. It stands for a Governor to be chosen out of a panel of three eminent persons proposed by the Chief Minister; for an end to policies which promote centralization at the expense of the states.
CPI(M) also promised in Manifesto that party stands for the scrapping of all draconian laws like UAPA and PMLA; for steps to protect and strengthen the autonomy of independent institutions, for defence of the democratic rights of the people.
The CPI(M) Manifesto also emphasized its ongoing support for the autonomous status guaranteed under Section 370 of Jammu and Kashmir. It pledges to advocate for the rights of the region’s people through all available platforms. Furthermore, the CPI(M) advocates for prompt elections to the State Assembly and the reinstatement of full statehood as an initial measure.
In CPI(M) Manifesto also promised that party stands for a law for reservations in the private sector.
“The CPI(M) stands for a law for reservations in the private sector and for immediate filling of vacancies in reserved posts without dilution; for protection of constitutional and legal rights of adivasis and an end to cultural assimilation. In order to acquire proper data on the OBCs in the country it is necessary to conduct a caste census along with the 2021 general census that is overdue. It stands for the immediate implementation of one-third reservations for women; for strengthening processes of justice for women victims of crimes”, the party’s manifesto added.
In its manifesto, the CPI(M) also committed to urgent electoral reforms aimed at reducing the influence of monetary resources in the electoral process.
“The CPI(M) stands for urgent electoral reforms to curb the use of money power in the electoral system. For this, the Party wants State funding of elections and a ban on corporate donations to political parties. Corporates must fund to strengthen democracy and such contributions must be credited in a State electoral fund and used for State funding” CPI(M)’s manifesto added. (ANI)
Pinarayi slams Rahul over missing flags in roadshow
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday slammed Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party for showing ‘disrespect’ to their party flag.
CM Vijayan was referring to how the Congress on Wednesday decided not to display flags of its own and that of its ally IUML during the roadshow ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s filing of nomination papers for the Wayanad Lok Sabha.
“They got scared of the BJP as in 2019 when Rahul came to file his nomination papers and at their roadshow, the green flags of the IUML and the Congress flags were tied together. The BJP used the pictures to campaign in North India stating that these were Pakistani flags. Do the Congress leaders here know what the Congress flags used to depict during the pre-independence struggle,” asked CM Vijayan.
“The Congress party wants the vote of the IUML, but not their flag and for that, the Congress party also decided to forego their flag. This act doesn’t augur well and the Congress is afraid of the BJP,” added CM Vijayan.
He also took potshots at K.C.Venugopal, the Congress general secretary and a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan.
“Even though he has two more years before his term ends, he decided to contest from Alappuzha and this was done to ensure that in case he wins, then a by-election to the Upper House from Rajasthan will be held and the BJP will win it. At the moment the BJP doesn’t have a majority in the Upper House and is short by four seats. This is being done to help the BJP, but the people at Alappuzha (where Venugopal is contesting) will ensure that his seat is intact in the Upper House as he will be defeated here,” added CM Vijayan.
The Chief Minister slammed the Enforcement Directorate for its probe into the real estate major DLF in 2019. “A few years later all know that when the involvement of Priyanka Gandhi’s husband Robert Vadra surfaced, everything just disappeared,” said the CM.
He alleged that he suspected a secret deal that Congress had struck with the SDPI (the political arm of the now-banned PFI). The SDPI early this week decided to support the UDF, and the CPI(M) and BJP went hammer and tongs on this.
K.C. Venugopal, however, hit back at CM Vijayan and said that he need not worry about what the Congress party does and instead, he should be more worried about the way Kerala has slid down on all fronts.
“Has anyone ever heard CM Vijayan attacking PM Modi, instead he attacks Rahul Gandhi and all know why he is doing this,” said Venugopal.
Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said CM Vijayan need not be overly concerned about the Congress party. “CM Vijayan should be more worried about his party and the Congress doesn’t require any advice from him. CM Vijayan is afraid of PM Modi and all his acts of attacking the Congress party is to help PM Modi and keep him in good humour,” said Satheesan.
He also said, “Congress party is the one which strongly opposes both minority communalism and majority communalism and we do not want the support of the SDPI.”
Reacting to the flag controversy, IUML General Secretary P.M.A. Salam slammed CM Vijayan and wrote on his Facebook page that while they are working hard to ensure that the national flag is intact, CM Vijayan is keener to ensure the CPI(M) can retain their national party status.
“It’s understandable why CM Vijayan is jittery as every sector in our state is in shambles. Moreover, the SNC Lavalin case in which he is a party is being repeatedly postponed in the apex court. All know that CM Vijayan has always been at the forefront of appeasing the Sangh Parivar forces. CM Vijayan and the Sangh Parivar forces are two sides of the same coin. Like the BJP, CM Vijayan also doesn’t wish that the Congress comes to power as he knows all his cases will return to haunt him and hence he has raised the ‘flag’ issue,” said Salam.
The IUML is the second biggest ally of the Congress-led UDF.
Legendary CPI(M) leader and former Chief Minister of Kerala VS Achuthanandan turns 100 today….reports Asian Lite News
Last of the living legends of the Left, V.S. Achuthanandan, who was one of the 34 Communist Party of India members who walked out of the party in 1964 to form the CPI-M, turned 100 on Friday.
Achuthanandan, popularly known as VS to all, has, for the past four years, slipped out of public glare and is living quietly at the house of his son in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
The party workers of CPIM are celebrating Achuthanandan’s 100th birthday across the state by distributing sweets and cutting cakes. However, due to his health condition, the workers may not be allowed to meet him.
Kerala governor Arif Muhammad Khan, CM Pinarayi Vijayan, opposition leader VD Satheesan, ministers, MLAs, and others also extended their birthday wishes to VS Achuthanandan.
“Hearty greetings and best wishes to former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan on his 100th birthday. I join the people of Kerala in wishing the beloved and respected people’s leader good health and happiness”, Governor Khan posted on X.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also extended his wishes and said that the role played by the former chief minister in transforming Kerala is undeniable.
“Comrade VS Achuthanandan’s life has travelled along with the history of modern Kerala. The role played by leaders, including VS in transforming Kerala into today’s Kerala is undeniable. He has stood with the lower classes throughout his life. Therefore, the centenary of VS is an occasion of joy and pride not only for the labour movements, progressive movements, and the Communist Party but also for the entire country. Happy birthday to Comrade VS”, the Chief Minister said.
Chief Minister from 2006-11, he was the Leader of Opposition in the previous five years. He was the opposition leader three times, served as CPIM party secretary three times, and was a CPI (M) political bureau member for long periods.
Though it was he who led the CPI-M led Left at the 2016 Assembly polls, Pinarayi Vijayan stepped in to take over as the Chief Minister much against the wishes of Achuthanandan and those supporting him.
While Vijayan was sworn in, Achuthanandan was given the chairmanship of the Administrative Reforms Commission – a cabinet-level post which he held till age caught up with him. He stepped down during the fag end of the first Vijayan government and after that he has practically been indoors.
Born on 20 October 1923 to Sankaran and Accamma in Punnapra, Alappuzha, Achuthanandan was in the forefront of the land struggles in Kerala starting with the Alappuzha declaration in 1970 demanding implementation of the Land Reforms Act passed by the EMS Government in 1967.
He was sworn in as Chief Minister of Kerala on 18 May 2006, with his 21-member cabinet. Aged 82 years and 7 months at time, he was the oldest Chief Minister of Kerala, and one of the oldest in the whole of India.
Achuthanandan initiated various actions as the Chief Minister, including the demolition drive in Munnar which claimed back acres of illegally occupied land, the demolition drive in Kochi M. G. Road which claimed back the long lost shoulder of the road, anti-piracy drive against film-piracy, his struggle against the Lottery mafia in the state.
He was keen on upholding communist principles while holding various positions as Chief Minister, legislature, or opposition leader. Even though he was criticised by his party for mission to remove land encroachments in Munnar, the common-party workers had offered him support for his actions.
In 2006, under the leadership of Achuthanandan government decided to develop and operate an International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), Vallarpadam. Though it is a central government project, Achuthanandan government has taken strong steps to take over land required for road and rail lines for the project. The International Container Transshipment Terminal, Kochi was inaugurated on 11 February 2011, it is the first transshipment terminal in India and the first container terminal to operate in a SEZ.
With regard to women members, Balakrishnan said that in 2018, women constituted 17 per cent of the total members, which has gone up to 19.74 per cent today with a total of 1,04,093 female members….reports Asian lite News
While the CPI-M may appear to be stagnant in states like West Bengal and Tripura, according to Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the party’s secretary in Kerala, things are different in the southern state where it has witnessed a rise in membership with the motto to make the Red outfit the party of majority.
Balakrishnan was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 23rd State Party Congress here on Tuesday.
“There has been an increase in party membership, which grew from 4,63,472 in 2018 to 5,27,378 today. Likewise, there has been an increase of 3,682 branch committees, which grew from 32,967 to 36,549 during this period,” said Balakrishnan.
He said that it has been found that of the total membership, only 9.42 per cent fall in the below 25 age category.
“A total of 55.84 per cent of the present members came into the party after 2012. It has been decided to ensure that the party enrols more members from the below 25 category,” added Balakrishnan.
With regard to women members, Balakrishnan said that in 2018, women constituted 17 per cent of the total members, which has gone up to 19.74 per cent today with a total of 1,04,093 female members.
“After the newly-constituted lower level committees, there are 1,991 women branch committee secretaries. For the first time, in each of the state’s 14 districts we now have one woman in the district secretariat. Likewise, in Kannur and Kasargod districts, women members’ strength has now crossed 25 per cent of the total membership,” said Balakrishnan.
He said the general opinion of the party is that it’s time to attract more people into the CPI-M fold, and for that feeder organisations will have to be strengthened.
“Our aim is to see that the CPI-M becomes the party of majority in Kerala,” he said.
He bowed out from electoral politics this year, not contesting the April 6th Assembly elections…reports Asian Lite News.
Veteran CPI-M leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan is presently admitted in the ICU of a private hospital in the state capital, it was announced on Monday. A hospital release said that he has been diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis, followed by dyselectrolemia, and altered renal function, and is being monitored closely in an intensive care unit.
Achuthanandan, on October 20, celebrated his 98th birthday and for a while he has been confined at his son’s residence here and does not entertain guests. He bowed out from electoral politics this year, not contesting the April 6th Assembly elections.
Chief Minister from 2006-11 and Leader of Opposition 2011-16, he had to make way for Pinarayi Vijayan as the new Chief Minister in 2016. He then had to be content with being a legislator and later he was made the Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission which came with cabinet status and just before the Assembly polls, he quit the post.
The oldest living Communist in the country left the mainstream politics and ended his term as a legislator early this year…reports Asian Lite News
Veteran CPI-M leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan turned 98 on Wednesday.
The oldest living Communist in the country left the mainstream politics and ended his term as a legislator early this year. Since then, he has disappeared from public glare and is leading a retired life at his son’s residence, here.
According to a source, the veteran leader spends his time moving on a wheel-chair and is read out the daily newspapers. He keeps himself abreast with the events watching news on the television.
Owing to the pandemic, visitors are generally not entertained in the house, but many of his well wishers often enquire about his health from his son Arun Kumar.
Even though he wished to return to his home base in Alappuzha district, from where he rose to the topmost position in the state, doctors advised him to be in the state capital, last year.
Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath second time as the cm of kerala . (Photo:pallav paliwal)
The biggest teething problem facing Vijayan is going to be the way how he tackles the Covid surge and the test positivity rate is hovering around 25 per cent mark for a while now, reports Asian Lite News
Even though a lot has been written about the way Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who single handedly led the ruling Left to a stunning historical win in the April 6 assembly elections, all eyes are on him, who by now through his mannerism and the way he conducts himself has turned into the mould of a ‘headmaster’ of an yesteryear school, where his one word and one look can send shivers down the spine of many.
Such is the stamp of authority, Vijayan has now, as he gets ready to start his second innings on Thursday and given his now hugely increased stature, where everything is decided by himself, it remains to be seen how smooth would his second innings be.
In the CPI-M, Vijayan through his iron grip by being the party secretary from 1997 to 2015 turned the clincher when he was able to get everything he wanted and if one looks into yesteryears, always the Chief Minister of the CPI-M stature is a shade below than the party secretary.
Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath second time as the cm of kerala . (Photo:pallav paliwal)
A media critic on condition of anonymity said it was Vijayan who changed that and that happened because each and everyone in his party is known well to him and through the long years of being the secretary, it’s his handpicked people who are now there at all the various levels of committees.
“Just look when he was the party secretary during V.S. Achuthanandan’s tenure as Chief Minister (2006-11), there was always a clash and Vijayan always won. And now look into the past five years of Vijayan’s tenure as Chief Minister. Here again, he was the final word and even the State Secretary took orders from him. Such is his grip over the party and the government. I doubt, if any Chief Minister in our state ever was in such a sound position,” said the critic.
Vijayan showed his stamp of authority when he handpicked his state cabinet of 20 Ministers and there was not a whimper of protest from any quarters in his party or in the Left, when he decided to drop hugely popular Health Minister K.K. Shailaja.
“Just look at the Ministers from his party this time and in his first innings. In his first tenure, there were seasoned veterans with previous experience in the cabinet like Thomas Isaac, G. Sudhakaran and A.K. Balan and not to mention of E.P. Jayarajan, a towering personality in the party. Look at his team now, barring the soft spoken K. Radhakrishnan, all the remaining 10 from his party are first time Ministers and they will all be wary of the ‘headmaster’ and will dare not to rub Vijayan the wrong way, when they go about in their respective portfolio,” added the critic.
Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath second time as the cm of kerala . (Photo:pallav paliwal)
Incidentally if one looks into his cabinet, he has included his ‘new’ son-in-law P.A. Mohammed Riyaz, a first time legislator, when there are among the party, legislators with more experience.
Riyaz told the media that during the election campaign there were lot of personal attacks on this front.
“I have won the seat with a huge margin and it clearly shows that all negative campaign issues were dismissed by the electorate. It’s the party which decides what each member should do and I have got this,” said Riyaz.
The biggest teething problem facing Vijayan is going to be the way how he tackles the Covid surge and the test positivity rate is hovering around 25 per cent mark for a while now and the total number of active cases has crossed 3 lakhs, as the state is under a lockdown.
Another issue which he will have to surmount is that the per capita debt of every Keralaite stands at Rs 1,05,000 up from Rs 46,075 in 2016.
The public debt when Vijayan took over in 2016 was Rs 1.50 lakh crore and today it has touched Rs 3.20 lakh crore.
However with a few cases which occurred in the last year of his previous term which includes the gold and dollar smuggling are also dangling above his head and it remains to be seen how and what the Centre will do and what happened in West Bengal is also there for all to see.
So all in all, ‘headmaster’ Vijayan has a tough task on hand and one thing is certain that there will be no honeymoon period for him and his confidence is that he has steered the wheel for the past five years, with no issues either from the Congress led Opposition or from his party.
In the new cabinet, the CPI(M) have 12 ministers, CPI four ministers and one each from Kerala Congress (M), Indian National League, Democratic Kerala Congress, NCP and JD(S), reports Asian Lite News
Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday sworn in as the chief minister of Kerala by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.
Returning to an unprecedented second term in power, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan unveiled his new team, which jettisons all sitting ministers from his CPI-M, and consists of a mix of youth and experience, besides giving adequate representation to women, caste, communities and religion.
Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath second time as the cm of kerala . (Photo:pallav paliwal)
A 21-member Left Democratic Front (LDF) ministry, headed by Pinarayi Vijayan, took oath at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. At the grand ceremony organised to mark the historic return of an incumbent government after a span of 40 years, attendance was limited to 500 persons in view of the Covid-19 protocols.
“Took the oaths of office and secrecy as Chief Minister of Kerala. Together let us realise a people’s alternative and build a Nava Keralam!” Vijayan tweeted.
In the new cabinet, the CPI(M) have 12 ministers, CPI four ministers and one each from Kerala Congress (M), Indian National League (INL), Democratic Kerala Congress (DKC), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Janata Dal (S) (JDS).
Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath second time as the cm of kerala . (Photo:pallav paliwal)
MB Rajesh of the CPM is the Speaker and Chittayam Gopakumar of the CPI the Deputy Speaker of the new Assembly. N Jayaraj of KC(M) has been appointed as the chief whip with cabinet rank. 17 out of the 20 ministers in the cabinet are first-timers.
Incidentally in 2016, when Vijayan won his first victory, the stadium was filled with a record 40,000 people, cheering every Minister when their name was called, but this time, it was not to be as the Kerala High Court had directed that there should be no breaking of Covid protocols and the audience should be kept to the barest minimum.
Conspicuous by their absence was the entire Opposition, as outgoing Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday morning called up Vijayan and offered his congratulations and informed him that they are not boycotting the event but had decided to observe the strict Covid protocols as the district is under triple lockdown, and would watch the swearing-in sitting on TV at their homes.
Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath second time as the cm of kerala . (Photo:pallav paliwal)
A music video on the second coming of the LDF government compiled by musicians and actors across Kerala was played at the beginning of the ceremony. The musical, involving 52 singers and musicians, was projected on a 140-ft LED screen placed on the dais before the oath-taking ceremony.
The new team has three women — R Bindu, Chinchu Rani and Veena George — one more than last time and a record number for any Kerala government.
CPI’s Veena George will be the first woman journalist-politician to be a Kerala minister. She is expected to get the Health portfolio held by KK Shailaja.
Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath second time as the cm of kerala . (Photo:pallav paliwal)
Bindhu, the former Thrissur Mayor, is also CPM State Secretary K Vijayraghavan’s wife, and is expected to get Higher Education. CPM leader PA Mohammad Riyas is likely to get PWD and Tourism.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Congratulations to Shri Pinarayi Vijayanji on taking oath as Chief Minister and commencing his second term in office.” Vijayan was also congratulated by new Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who led his DMK-Congress alliance to a dominant win in the neighbouring state.
“Best wishes to my brother Pinarayi Vijayan on his swearing in as Chief Minister of Kerala and I hope that his determination and perseverance will lead to social equality, peace and prosperity for the people,” he said.
The new Kerala cabinet needs to hit the ground running because the state – praised for its containment of the virus in the first wave – has been badly affected by the second; active cases are over 3.32 lakh (third-worst in the country) and vaccine doses and oxygen supply is a key problem.
The LDF bucked the trends to win the historic second consecutive term – Kerala normally alternates between Left and Congress-led governments – in the April-May election. The alliance won 99 of 140 seats in this election, with the Congress claiming 41 and the BJP failing to open its account.
The BJP vote percentage saw a fall from 15.01 per cent in the 2016 Assembly polls to 12.47 per cent after votes were counted on Sunday to the 140-member Kerala Assembly….reports Asian Lite News
Hours after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that there was large scale trading of votes between the Congress and the BJP, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday hit back, saying the deal was between the CPI-M and the BJP in 69 seats.
Chennithala said that Vijayan’s statement, soon after returning from his home town in Kannur, to the media in the state capital that the deal was between the Congress and the BJP was “meant to fool people and was taking anticipatory bail to suppress the real truth”.
“If one looks into the figures, it was the Congress which prevented the BJP from surging forward and because of that, they could not win the lone seat that they won for the first time in the state at Nemom in 2016. In seats like Manjeswaram and Palakkad, it was the Congress which prevented the BJP from winning,” he contended.
The BJP vote percentage saw a fall from 15.01 per cent in the 2016 Assembly polls to 12.47 per cent after votes were counted on Sunday to the 140-member Kerala Assembly.
LDF CPI-M workers celebrate party’s performance
The Left secured 99 seats, while the Congress-led UDF could manage only 41 seats and the BJP drew a blank.
Vijayan had alleged that the Congress-led UDF would have lost 10 more seats if the secret deal was not there with the BJP and also that the BJP lost their votes in 90 seats as compared to the 2016 polls.
Chennithala, however, said: “In the three seats at Nemom, Palakkad and Manjeswaram, it was because of the performance of the Congress that the victory of BJP was prevented and the votes of the CPI-M in these constituencies, compared to the 2016 polls, had come down and the votes of the Congress had gone up.”
Had the Congress won lesser votes, the BJP would have won at Nemom, but since the vote share of the Congress grew, the CPI-M won, he added.
At Palakkad and Manjeswaram, it was the Congress which won.
“This time, the BJP got 4,35,606 votes and it was 3.71 per cent less than what they got in 2016. This decreased vote share was the deal and as a result in 69 constituencies, the Left benefitted. At the Kalamassery seat, the BJP candidate got 13,065 votes less votes than in 2016 and hence the CPI-M candidate P. Rajeev won. At Kuttanadu, the ally of the BJP got 18,098 votes less than in 2016 and the direct beneficiary was the Left candidate,” said Chennithala.
He listed out many other constituencies where the “BJP-CPI-M deal was in place”.
UDF
“With this, it has now come out true what Balasankar, the former editor of RSS mouthpiece, before the elections said that there was a secret deal between the BJP and the CPI-M .Moreover just look into the fate of the various scams like gold smuggling and dollar smuggling and see those cases all have gone into the freezer, as this was part of the deal as the BJP’s sole agenda is ‘Congress Mukt-Bharat’,” Chennithala added.
State BJP President K. Surendran, however, dismissed all the theories of deal and trade as humbug.
“The truth is the BJP has lost the one seat it had and the vote share also has come down. I am fully responsible for the set back and am prepared to take whatever the party says. The real reason for this verdict is there was a consolidation of minority votes to the Left. Our party will sit down and find out what went wrong and corrective measures would be taken. Even though we do not have a representation inside the assembly, we will be there outside,” he asserted.
