CPI-M had secret pact with BJP in local body elections: Chennithala

Senior Kerala Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Monday alleged that there was "a secret pact" between CPM and BJP in local body elections.

Chennithala told reporters that a lot of analysis on results is coming out after local body elections and accused the ruling LDF of misleading people about the result.

"The research wing of KPCC conducted a detailed study and reported 2,12,73,413 people voted in the gram panchayat, municipality and Municipal Corporation this time. Of these, 74,58,516 voted for the UDF and 74,37,786 for the Left Front. The UDF got 35.06 per cent of the vote while the Left Front got 34.96 per cent," Chennithala said.

He alleged that the Kerala government was "steeped in corruption".

The Congress leader accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the LDF of trying to weaken the UDF. "The CPM is consciously making moves that will strengthen the BJP and thereby weaken the UDF," he said.

"Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM had the same motive behind taking a stand on the Sabarimala issue which propagated the growth of the BJP. This time too, the CPM and the Chief Minister are playing dangerous politics," Chennithala added.

The Leader of Opposition alleged that the Chief Minister and the CPM were working to destroy the religious harmony in Kerala.

"Kerala is a land where all religions live in harmony. The CPM and the Chief Minister are deliberately trying to pit those religions against each other," he said.

He alleged that the "communal project" started by Pinarayi Vijayan has now been taken over by the acting secretary of CPM Vijayaraghavan.

"The CPM is now pushing for religious polarization. For that, the Muslim League is now being slandered. The Muslim League plays a major role in maintaining religious harmony in Kerala. Forgetting that, the CPM is trying to make political gains by creating conflicts between different religions. Behind this is the nefarious idea of strengthening the BJP and eliminating the Congress and the UDF," he alleged.

"CPI-M had a secret alliance with the BJP in the local body elections. Seeing that this communal polarization had succeeded in the local body elections, it has come up with a new communal strategy aiming the assembly elections. Why does the CPM not understand the fatal wounds it inflicts on Kerala society?" asked Chennithala.

He also alleged that CPI-M and the BJP widely formed a secret understanding in central Kerala.

"The CPM formed a secret pact not only with the BJP but also with the SDPI. CPM must back off from its moves to destroy secularism in Kerala for four votes and a few seats," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )