Lok Sabha elections: Pinarayi tears apart Congress for ‘playing second fiddle’ to BJP

KOZHIKODE: Signalling the shift in the LDF strategy after Congress president Rahul Gandhi declared his candidature in Wayanad, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has trained the gun on the Congress, accusing the party playing second fiddle to BJP. Addressing a rally in Thamarassery on Tuesday, he questioned the secular credentials of the Congress.


Vijayan alleged it was the anti-people policies of the UPA government in 2009 that paved the way for the BJP in 2014. “BJP government is the continuation of UPA government in all respects. BJP pursued the policies of the Congress with added vigour,” he said.

Questioning the secular posturing of the Congress, Pinarayi reminded that it was the Congress government that stood as mute witness while Babri Masjid was demolished. “Recently, a Congress leader said that his party will build the Ram temple in Ayodhya if it comes to power,” he said.

There were efforts to project a Congress leader as devout devotee of Lord Shiva and a real Brahmin wearing the sacred thread. “Congress leader Digvijay Singh claimed that it was the Congress government that banned cow slaughter first. The Congress is playing the same game played by the BJP,” Vijayan said.

A secular government should come at the Centre, but that dispensation should have a clear alternative policy. Such a coalition would emerge after the election, but the Congress will not have its clout it used to have, Vijayan said.

He asked Rahul to spell out the Congress’s position on the

Madhav Gadgil

report on

Western Ghats

and on the Asean agreement that demolished Wayanad.