Charge act of vengeance over ticket denial, says BJP; Muslims question Left ‘secularism’

The sensational charge by R Balasankar, former chief editor of The Organiser, that there was a secret deal between the CPI(M) and the Sangh Parivar, has caused a political earthquake in Kerala. The BJP denied ticket to Balasankar to contest the April 6 Assembly election.

Balasankar created a flutter in the political circle when he told mediapersons on Wednesday that there was a deal between the Kerala BJP and the CPI(M) for the Assembly election so that the latter could retain power in the State.

The BJP’s State leadership and the RSS, which were at loggerheads over a range of issues, buried the hatchet for the time being and vehemently denied the charges.

“This statement by him arose out of discontentment over the denial of ticket to him,” said K Surendran, Kerala BJP chief while speaking to reporters. “If he had the blessings of the national leadership, his name should have been in the list,” Surendran added.

The allegation has upset the BJP which had exuded confidence and claimed that it would emerge as the game-changer in Kerala politics. “This time Kerala will see a third alternative calling the shots in Government formation,” Surendran had said while announcing the names of candidates.

The fight for supremacy in the State has shifted back to the CPI(M) and the Congress-led fronts. Chances are that the BJP may finish the race as “also ran”, according to Roy Mathew, a political commentator.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also repudiated the charges. But former Chief Minister Oommen Chandi and Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said there was nothing surprising in the charge as it was a fact.

“We in the Congress were the first to bring to light the secret deal between the BJP and the CPI(M). The Enforcement Directorate probe against the CPI(M) leaders have been put on hold as part of this deal,” said Chennithala.

Meanwhile, PC Thomas, leader of the Kerala Congress, who was a part of the NDA-led by the BJP till Wednesday morning, jumped the fence and appeared in a UDF meeting by noon. He had declared at Kasaragod that he would remain only with the BJP.

The BJP national leadership on Wednesday announced the name of Shobha Surendran as the candidate from Kazhakkoottam in Thiruvananthapuram constituency. The uncertainty in the name of the candidate from Kazhakkoottam has come to an end with this announcement.

The CPI(M) too was not free from problems in selecting the candidates. The constituency of Kuttiyadi saw the Muslim community coming out in the open demonstrating against the move to field a Kerala Congress (Mani) faction leader. The CPI (M) leadership was forced to replace him with local politician Kunjahammed Kutty. Similarly, the CPI, which too swears by secularism, had to withdraw Ajit Koladi, its official candidate at Tiroorangadi, a Muslim dominated area, and substitute him with Niyaz Pulikkalakathu.

Siji Karuthedathu, author and political commentator based in Malabar, expressed apprehension over the CPI(M) and CPI genuflecting before religious fundamentalism. “This is further proof of the Jamaat-e-Islami (Hind) and

Popular Front of India swallowing the Congress and Communist parties slowly but steadily,” said Siji.