Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran’s controversial remarks comparing chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to a dog triggered a political controversy in the state on Wednesday.
The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) condemned the remarks and asked its cadre not to get provoked by such “cheap remarks”.
The KPCC chief was talking to a news channel on Tuesday about the upcoming by-election in Thrikkakara. “We have enough confidence. Our vote margin will increase. But the ruling camp is in utter confusion. Camping at the constituency, it is the CM who is behaving like a...,” he said.
After his remarks triggered a big controversy, the PCC chief said: “It was a saying in north Malabar and I did not intend to hurt anyone. If it hurts anyone, I withdraw it.”
The CPI(M) has condemned the statement of the PCC chief and said it really exposed the standard of the leader. “The PCC president has adopted a tactic of reaping benefits by provoking the LDF to create violence. The Congress is unable to defend the constituency politically so the party is indulging in cheap rhetoric,” the party secretariat said in a statement.
Thrikkakara is witnessing a fierce three-cornered contest among UDF candidate and widow of PT Thomas, Uma Thomas, LDF candidate and cardiologist Joe Joseph and BJP nominee AN Radhakrishnan. The by-poll was necessitated after the death of sitting legislator PT Thomas.
{{/usCountry}}Thrikkakara is witnessing a fierce three-cornered contest among UDF candidate and widow of PT Thomas, Uma Thomas, LDF candidate and cardiologist Joe Joseph and BJP nominee AN Radhakrishnan. The by-poll was necessitated after the death of sitting legislator PT Thomas.
{{/usCountry}}In 2021 election, PT Thomas polled 59,839 votes while his opponent CPI (M)-backed Independent J Jacob came second with 45,410 votes. The by-election is scheduled on May 31, and counting will be held on June 3.
This is the first by-election since Vijayan got his second term in office. The CPI(M), which is facing heat on the proposed high-speed K-Rail, said it would be a vote for development. Opposition Congress and BJP are making massive displacement of people and brute force on affected people an issue in the by-poll.