Completely baseless, says CM Vijayan on Congress’ CPI(M)-SDPI link charge
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday firmly rejected allegations of electoral support from the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), calling them “completely baseless” and politically motivated.
He asserted that neither has any support been sought from the SDPI nor is there any form of understanding with the outfit.
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said the situation in Nemom remains unchanged, dismissing attempts to draw parallels with the 2021 Assembly elections.
“There may be individuals who feel that the LDF is best placed to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party, but that cannot be construed as a political arrangement,” he said.
Reiterating the Left Democratic Front’s ideological line, CM Vijayan stressed that the coalition maintains a “clear and uncompromising anti-communal stance”.
The Chief Minister also responded to the controversy in Kollam on Monday, where his interaction with the media drew criticism.
He clarified that his usual practice is to speak for 30 to 40 minutes, but time constraints during the election period necessitate shorter engagements.
“It is not for me to decide who asks questions; that is for journalists to determine,” he said.
His conduct on Monday, which he maintained has been consistent with his usual approach, came under criticism.
Vijayan noted that he chose to leave only after the allotted time had elapsed, but returned to clarify matters when a commotion broke out.
Alleging that some individuals had arrived with the intent to disrupt, he said the episode reflected how narratives can be “deliberately distorted”.
Highlighting the government’s development agenda, the Chief Minister described the Vizhinjam Port project as a “shining chapter” in Kerala’s growth story.
He pointed to its potential in the transshipment sector and said all four phases are slated for completion by 2028.
The port has already generated Rs 125 crore in revenue.
He also responded to remarks by Rahul Gandhi, who on Monday sang the now viral “Pottiyee Kettiye” parody song at an election rally in Pathanamthitta.
“All saw where the person reached,” Vijayan said tersely, referring to the prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti’s reported meeting with Sonia Gandhi in Delhi, without elaborating further.
Vijayan has been holding daily media interactions as part of his statewide campaign, criss-crossing Kerala ahead of the polls.
The state will go to the polls on April 9 to elect 140 legislators. The results will be announced on May 4.