Political nexuses and deals become key campaign issue as Palakkad assembly bypoll looms

Thiruvananthapuram: Allegations and counter allegations of unholy political deals and nexuses have become the key campaign issue in the Palakkad assembly by-poll in Kerala, the latest being a CPM-Congress deal in 2021 defeat BJP candidate 'Metro man' E Sreedharan, who lost by a whisker.

Causing embarrassment to the CPM, Congress dissident Dr P Sarin, who is contesting as CPM candidate, stated on Sunday that Congress candidate Shafi Parambil won the 2021 election as he received left-front's votes.

The BJP swiftly latched on to it to allege of CPM-Congress deal in this election too,prompting the CPM candidate to come out with a clarification. Sarin said what he meant was that the Congress candidate wooed the secular votes that CPM could have received by unleashing a campaign that BJP's victory had to be prevented.

Sarin received a red carpet welcome to the CPM the other day after he alleged of Congress-BJP nexus. CPM was highlighting the ex-Congress insiders statement as a first person account of the Congress - BJP nexus. But the present statement of Sarin literally had a boomerang effect for the CPM.

BJP's Palakkad candidate C Krishnakumar, who kicked off his campaign on Sunday by seeking blessing of the 'Metro man', said that earlier itself the BJP had alleged of Congress - CPM deal for defeating E Sreedharan, which has now been proved.

Congress is countering the nexus allegations by highlighting the alleged CPM-BJP nexus at Thrissur in the Lok Sabha polls for ensuring BJP's victory.

Meanwhile, there is resentment in the BJP camps over deciding Krishnakumar as candidate as a section was pushing for state vice president Shobha Surendran. BJP national council leader M Sivarajan told a news channel that he could tell about Krishnakumar's victory chances only after the polling.

BJP came second in Palakkad assembly seat in the last two elections. In 2021 E Sreedhran lost the seat by just 3,859 votes. Shobha Surendran came second in 2016 elections.