Ernakulam: Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala accused Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of pursuing an agenda aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He raised the charge during a press conference at the Ernakulam District Congress Committee office.
Mr. Chennithala described the CPI(M) and the BJP as allies. He said public statements from one side often echo support for the other. He argued such conduct erodes political clarity within the State.
He accused the Chief Minister of following a divide and rule approach. He warned of deliberate efforts aimed at communal polarisation across Kerala. He said the Chief Minister seeks prominence through communal division.
Referring to the Marad riots, Mr. Chennithala urged restraint. He said repeated references keep public wounds open. He described the riots among the darkest episodes in Kerala’s history. He dismissed claims of a possible repeat under a United Democratic Front government. He pointed to the five year tenure of Oommen Chandy, which saw no communal riots.
Mr. Chennithala accused the CPI(M) of shaping an election strategy centred on appeasing majoritarian communalism ahead of the 2026 State Assembly elections. He said earlier campaigns focused on minority outreach through the Citizenship Amendment Act issue. He said voters rejected this approach during the last parliamentary polls. He said the present strategy targets majoritarian sentiment through events such as the Global Ayyappa Summit.
He questioned whether a Chief Minister should pursue actions which divide society along religious lines. He asked whether such steps serve the interests of Kerala.
He also accused the Chief Minister of aiding BJP expansion since 2016. He cited the election of Suresh Gopi from Thrissur in the 2024 parliamentary polls. He also referred to a BJP victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation during recent local body elections. He said continued actions appear aimed at helping the BJP secure Assembly representation.
