Palakkad (Kerala) | The Congress-led UDF on Tuesday criticised the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala, describing its advertisements in two newspapers regarding the inclusion of former BJP leader Sandeep Varier in the grand old party as "communal" and a desperate move.
The controversial advertisements were published in the Palakkad edition of the newspapers on the eve of the assembly bypoll here, prompting the UDF to question how the Election Commission permitted the same.
The advertisement contained screenshots of several social media posts allegedly by Varier when he was in the BJP.
The CPI(M) defended its move saying that it gave the advertisement in many English and Malayalam newspapers and the intention behind it was to point out that Congress has accepted into its fold a person who has a communal mindset as Varier has not deleted his previous anti-Congress and allegedly non-secular posts.
Rejecting the CPI(M) contentions, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakaran said the advertisement was a sign of the CPI(M)'s "desperation".
"They initially wanted him (Varier). Many of their leaders, including A K Balan, called him a pure soul. Now they have changed their tune," he said, adding that the CPI(M) were "shameless".
UDF's Palakkad candidate Rahul Mamokootathil asked whether the CPI(M) does not want people in the RSS to give up their communal mindset and become secular? "Is it not good that a person left the RSS and their communal views to take up a secular stand? I can understand why BJP state chief K Surendran wants the RSS to be strong, but why do Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and state Excise Minister M B Rajesh want that?" he asked.
Mamkootathil, who is the state president of the Youth Congress, also questioned "how the Election Commission allowed such a clearly communal advertisement?" He also contended that had the CPI(M) been successful in wooing Varier to the Left front, the advertisements would have said -- 'from communalism to communism".
The UDF candidate said that the advertisement was aimed at benefiting the BJP as the contest for the Palakkad bypoll was between the Congress and the saffron party and the CPI(M)-led LDF was in the third position.
"It is odd that the CPI(M) did not give any advertisements against the BJP. It is because they do not want to hurt the BJP in any manner. Even K Surendran does not love his party as much as the CPI(M) does," Mamkootathil said, taking a dig at the Left party.
On the other hand, Minister Rajesh said that Mamkootathil's remarks indicated that the Congress and UDF were scared they were going to lose in Palakkad.
"It is clear they have admitted defeat," he said.
He also questioned why Varier's posts against the Congress were still not deleted and said that the grand old party should have at least asked him to delete those before joining them.
"It shows that he continues to be an RSS activist. It is such an individual the Congress has welcomed. So, how is it communal if we point that out," the minister said.
Meanwhile, Varier termed the CPI(M) advertisements similar to the 'Kafir screenshot' that was circulated ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in Vadakara constituency earlier this year.
He also said that he could understand if the BJP was aggrieved over his exit from the party and joining the Congress, "but why is the CPI(M) so concerned over it?" "I believe it is the BJP which paid for the advertisement," he claimed.
He also claimed that a fact-finding team had already established that the screenshots in the advertisement were fake FB posts.
Varier said that the posts he made against the Congress in the past are still there on his Facebook page in order to show what kind of person he was and how he has changed now.
He also pointed out that LDF candidate P Sarin, the former digital media convener of the Congress before his removal from the party, had not deleted his posts against CM Vijayan and the CPI(M).
The bypoll was necessitated after the Congress MLA of the constituency, Shafi Parambil, got elected to the Lok Sabha from the Vadakara constituency.
