BJP has put up Indian democracy for sale, claims Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday alleged the BJP has put up Indian democracy for sale, while the Congress has reduced itself to goods that are up for sale. Hitting out at both the parties, Vijayan said in many states, people had elected the Congress to power, but they "sold themselves to the BJP."

"When BJP has put up Indian democracy for sale, Congress has reduced themselves into goods that are up for sale. BJP is willing to shell out as much money as required, after all they have raised plenty of it. Congress is trying to get the highest bid," the chief minister, who reached here for campaigning from his home constituency, Dharmadom, told reporters.

Listing the names of states including Goa, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Puducherry, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura, Vijayan said the Congress party cannot be trusted as the leaders can join BJP anytime.

"What about the stand of those Congress leaders on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)? They oppose it when they are with the Congress and later support it when they join the BJP.The Congress has lost its credibility," Vijayan said.

Slamming the Congress and its ally Indian Union Muslim League in the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, Vijayan claimed the people don't give much importance to the statements of the leaders of these parties.

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"The KPCC had declared that they will construct 1000 houses for those who lost their residences in the floods. Can they show at least hundred houses they have built? They have collected funds for the same from the people."

"Is there any accountability for such funds? Similarly the IUML leadership was also criiticised for the funds collected for the Kathua victim," the CPI(M) veteran said.

He said the Congress and the BJP were keeping the Nemom constituency, the lone seat won by the saffron party's O Rajagopal in 2016 assembly polls, in the limelight just as a distraction to divert the attention from the state government's achievements.

The Congress, after much deliberations, has announced K Muraleedharan, MP, as its candidate there this time, while CPI(M) has fielded senior leader V Sivankutty.

"The people have seen what the Congress has done in Nemom last time.They allowed the lotus to bloom there. It's evident if you look at the vote share." "How did the Congress votes of Nemom constituency, polled in the 2011 Assembly election, vanish in the 2016 polls? The Congress should apologise to secular Kerala," Vijayan said.

He said the Left party was fighting "relentlessly against the communal forces" and as a result its vote share has increased.

Vijayan said there was a campaign going on in the state that the food and provision kits given to all by the state government were provided by the Centre.

"We have not gone for a massive campaign saying that we are providing kits for all. Yes, it started (providing kits to all) since the lockdown." "But why are they (BJP) saying it was provided by the centre? If that is so, why are they not giving in other states? At least give the kits in BJP ruled-states," Vijayan added.