The Congress is on the backfoot in Kerala.
Credit: PTI file Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: As the Congress government in Karnataka is staging a demonstration against the BJP government at the centre in Delhi on Wednesday, the Congress leadership in Kerala is a bit embarrassed as it had turned its back on a similar demonstration to be staged by the CPM government in Kerala in Delhi on Thursday.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had held discussion with the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) on January 15 seeking support for the stir to be staged by the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Delhi on February 8.
But the Congress decided not to join it citing various reasons like the State government's extravaganza and lack of effective initiatives in taking up grievances with the Centre.
However, with the Congress government in Karnataka announcing its plans to stage a stir against the centre in Delhi, the Congress leaders in Kerala are being ridiculed by the CPM in Kerala.
The grievances of both the Congress government in Karnataka and the CPM government in Kerala are more or less same - cut in tax shares and grants. The DMK government in Tamil Nadu have also decided to join the demonstration being organised by the Kerala government.
Embarrassing the Congress leadership in Kerala, CPM leader and local self government minister M B Rajesh asked whether the Congress leaders in Kerala will back the demonstration being held by the Karnataka government in Delhi.
"The Congress leaders in Kerala were accusing that the demonstration to be staged by the Kerala government in Delhi is a drama. Will they take a same stand with regard to the demonstration to be staged by the Karnataka government in Delhi,' Rajesh asked.
While Congress leaders in Kerala have not yet responded to it, the CPM cadres are eagerly awaiting to see whether the Congress leaders from Kerala will participate in the Delhi stir of Karnataka government on Wednesday.