Decide whether Rahul is against BJP or left front: Pinarayi Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday told the Congress to decide whether it was fighting the BJP or the LDF while fielding Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad in the Lok Sabha elections next year.

"Rahul's contest in Kerala could not be considered as a contest against the BJP. The Congress should think about the problems that it could create. The Congress should decide whether Rahul should contest against the BJP or the left front in Kerala. Both Congress and the left front are part of the opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc that was formed to take on the BJP," Vijayan told reporters.

Vijayan said even if Rahul contested from Wayanad, the left front would field a candidate against him.

Vijayan's open remarks against Rahul's moves to contest from Wayanad for a second consecutive term came a day after CPM state secretary M V Govindan and CPI national general secretary D Raja asked Rahul not to contest from Wayanad but from states like Karnataka, where BJP is the main opponent.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the CPM leaders were fearing that Rahul's electoral fray in Kerala could lead to a clean sweep for the Congress-led United Democratic Front as was witnessed in 2019.