KANNUR: Sabin, 19, of Avera is a first-time voter and he is pretty sure of the political scenario prevailing in the state as well as nationally. A rather prolonged chat this correspondent had with the youth near the Malabar Company at Avera while waiting for LDF candidate PK Sreemathi, who was to address a gathering of 200-300 people, revealed his outlook.
“Communalism is the greatest threat to our country. Only CPM can effectively check it from spreading,” Sabin said. His friend nodded in agreement. Both of them were eager to join the drum b
eating gang of youths preparing to give a rousing welcome to the LDF candidate.
“A secular government should come to power at the Centre. Only CPM can provide stability to such a coalition at the national level,” said Mahendran, 69, of Attadappa. As the conversation dragged on, the candidate arrived in a custom-built Mahindra Bolero. Now, the focus shifted to what PK Sreemathi had to say. The blistering sun was taking a toll on the candidate and the workers embedded with the campaign team. Nonetheless, she wasted no time to attack the BJP and the Congress for the sad state of affairs in the country while highlighting the developments she had brought to the constituency with the LDF Government’s full backing.
The next stop was in Adikadalayi Government UP school, where Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally had taken the mike when Sreemathi reached there. “It’s a working day and the heat is unbearable,” said a DYFI leader said while shaking hands with the reporter.
On Friday, as UDF candidate K Sudhakaran’s campaign was scheduled to be held in the UDF bastion of Irikkur. The hilly region of settlers is known for its unshakeable loyalty towards the Congress. When the campaign team pulled over at Chemberi town, it was well past 11 am, one hour behind schedule. The sun was beating down mercilessly, so was Sudhakaran, the crowd-puller.
He waded into the brand of violent politics endorsed by the CPM in the district and the corruption of the BJP at the national level. Jose, 54, a farmer from Chemberi, was keenly listening to the candidate. “He should say something about the problems faced by the farmers. We, the farmers, face a lot of problems. The leaders and parties should address our problems effectively,” he said.
The campaign of NDA candidate CK Padmanabhan started at 8.30 am on Friday. He was to campaign in Taliparamba constituency. He is unfailingly punctual and taking advantage of the early morning freshness tries to cover as many places as possible before it gets hot. At Vayattuparamba, a crowd of around a hundred people was waiting for the candidate to turn up.
Will Congress, IUML discard legacy of All-India League?: PS Sreedharan Pillai
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president PS Sreedharan Pillai has asked whether the Congress and Muslim League are accepting the legacy of the All-India League which had called for the partition of India. He called upon other parties as to whether they are willing to discard the legacy of All-India League. Pillai was addressing media persons on Saturday.
He said the Congress had requested the Cabinet mission in 1948 not to divide the country while the Communists had called for dividing the country into 16 republics and to conduct a referendum. Pillai said Rahul Gandhi, who is for dividing the country into North and South India, has now changed the old stand of the Congress and is now with the Muslim League and the Communists for dividing the country. Pillai said the theory of Rahul on ignoring South India is part of the politics of division and this was never raised even by his party. Pillai said raising such a sensitive issue for the sake of temporary electoral gains is totally against the country. The senior BJP leader said the Congress’ All-India president contesting at the mercy of the Muslim League which was responsible for partition is not good. He added those who have faced the trauma of partition are watching this with utmost fear.
BJP, RSS real viruses of communalism: Ramesh Chennithala
KOCHI: Lambasting UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who termed the Muslim League a ‘virus’, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said BJP and RSS are the real viruses that spread the epidemic of communalism to divide the society. He also urged the Election Commission to initiate action against the UP Chief Minister. “The statement made by Yogi Adityanath does not suit a civilised society. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who accused Rahul Gandhi of being scared to contest from seats dominated by Hindus, and Yogi Adityanath are spreading communal hatred and attempting to divide the country,” Chennithala said in a meet-the-press programme here at the Press Club.
Last year’s deluge man-made: Ramesh Chennithala
Chennithala also said the floods of August, last year, was a man-made disaster and that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the LDF government were responsible for the deluge. “ The Chief Minister, Electricity minister and Water Resources minister should answer for the lives lost. Murder charges should be invoked against the individual responsible,”he added.
Antony urges people to give mandate for Congress, UDF
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The people of the state must vote for Congress and the UDF so that its pre-poll alliance becomes the single largest coalition to form the government at the Centre, said Congress Working Committee member and former Chief Minister A K Antony. “There is no point in voting for the CPM or for that matter the Left front in Kerala as it does not have any chance of claiming the single largest party status,” Antony told media persons during the Meet-the-Press programme organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club here on Saturday.
He said Rahul Gandhi’s candidature will create ripples across South India in favour of the Congress. In a lighter vein, Antony said even the CPM and CPI candidates in Tamil Nadu will benefit from Rahul’s candidature. “The five-year rule of Narendra Modi has destroyed the country. India is not just a geographical entity stretching from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, instead, it has its pluralism, diversity, oneness and culture. However, all these have been destroyed by the RSS-controlled Modi Government,” he said. Antony said the Sabarimala issue will be a major factor in the polls in the state and it will benefit the Congress.