Kerala polls: CPI(M) does not realise it is toeing BJP's line, says Congress' Hibi Eden

Congress MP Hibi Eden on Wednesday said that Kerala is not fertile soil for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and CPI (M) does not understand that they are toeing the BJP line.

"I don't think that Kerala is fertile soil for BJP, the BJP is trying hard to communally divide this state. We have educated people who understand politics. From the 2014 election BJP has been trying hard, of course, BJP has increased vote share with their communal line. To some extent, they have divided people on their communal line but the educated class of Kerala will make sure to keep BJP out of the power," the Congress MP Hibi Eden told in an interview.

"Out of 140 seats BJP was able to win just one seat. We are very clear about our line," said Hibi Eden referring to the last 2016 Assembly elections in which the UDF had won 47 seats and the LDF bagged 91 seats.

The MP from Ernakulam said that unfortunately, the CPI(M) did not understand that they were espousing the ideas of the BJP.

"Unfortunately, CPI(M) is not understanding that they are following the line of BJP. Bala Shankar, an RSS leader who has been serving RSS for a very long time in Delhi was clearly told about the deal between the CPI-M and BJP where an adjustment has been made to the seats like Kasaragod and Chenganoor where BJP and CPI(M) are lending a helping hand. This itself is a clear indication that CPI(M) and BJP are working together so it does not make any sense for BJP to make such allegation against Congress," he added.

"Party leader PC Chacko's decision to resign was not wise at a crucial juncture when he is facing an important election," said Eden.

Assuring that UDF will be voted back in power, Eden said, "After 2011 lots of young faces are in the phase. I am pretty sure that UDF will come back in power."

He further added, "BJP leaders come here and say that we are in UDF and LDF in the alliance. They say that Pinarayi Vijayan is involved in a gold smuggling dollar case. If so then why have no arrests been made when a secret document that was submitted to the court was leaked and also when VHP leader Sasikala Kala made an extremely dangerous remark to disturb the communal harmony of Kerala they were charged as non-bailable cases but not arrested. The internal line between the BJP and CPI(M) is quite strong and their joint agenda is a "Congress mukt Kerala" and a "Congress mukt Bharat" and they are working on it."

Further Eden said that his party's mfesto is the people's mfesto.

"We have made a mfesto for the first time by consulting the people of the state and not only with our party leader. Dr Shashi Tharoor was in charge of the mfesto committee. He went to every district in Kochi, went to colleges, met with youth and discussed the mfesto," said Eden.

"We met the start-up entrepreneur, young vibrant and energetic entrepreneur, IT industry, we met business people, people from the tourism industry, Congress workers and we discussed the agenda and the NYAY programme introduced by Rahul Gandhi during in the last central election. Under this scheme, Rs 6,000 was given to every household monthly in their accounts direct.," Eden said.

In its mfesto, the Congress-led UDF promised to bring in a law to protect the customs of the Sabarimala temple. The mfesto says that the proposed law will ban the unauthorised entry into Sabarimala will be ensured in consultation with the temple priest, and violation of customs or rituals will attract imprisonment of up to two years.

Both the CPI(M) and the BJP had hit out at the UDF stating that it had included the Sabarimala restriction, with an eye on the Assembly elections.

Eden, however, said that the Congress would not hurt the sentiments of the faithful.

"The UDF mfesto is the highlight of this election and we very strongly stand with that mfesto and have included Sabarimala in it. We would tell to make legislation that our party stand where we would not hurt the sentiment of the devotees," Eden said.

Polling for 140 assembly seats of Kerala will be held in a single phase on April 6. Election results will come on May 2.

( With inputs from ANI )