Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 16 (IANS) Senior Congress legislator and CWC member Ramesh Chennithala on Friday mounted a scathing attack on the CPI(M), dismissing the ruling party’s recent outreach exercises as “political theatre” aimed at masking a decade of governance failures, and asserted that the Left would not return to power in Kerala.

Following the mauling the Left suffered in the December local body polls, across the state, top leaders, including party general secretary M.A. Baby are reaching homes and explaining about the upcoming Assembly polls and the need for a third-successive Pinarayi Vijayan government.

“People will recognise the political drama of entering homes under the pretext of ‘house visits’ and apologising when elections approach, after having caused maximum harm to the public for ten years. This will not fool the people,” Chennithala said, adding that public sentiment in the State had decisively turned against the Left government.

Accusing the CPI(M) of blatant double standards, Chennithala said leaders who left the Congress to join the Left were welcomed with open arms, given prominent positions and political protection.

“At the same time, anyone who moves towards the Congress is branded a class traitor and vilified. This hypocrisy will not be accepted in Kerala,” he said.

Chennithala rejected claims that the Congress or the UDF was engineering defections from the Left.

“We are not enticing anyone. People are walking out of the CPI(M) on their own, frustrated by the way the party is functioning. The truth is that there is no Communism left in the CPI(M), and even committed Communists find it difficult to continue there,” he said.

Pointing to electoral trends, the former Opposition leader said more sections of society had been moving closer to the Congress since the last local body elections.

“After ten years of hardship, distress and misgovernance, people want change. Merely repeating that there is no anti-incumbency will not erase the deep resentment on the ground,” he said.

Clarifying the UDF’s position amid speculation of political realignments, Chennithala said no party had been officially or unofficially approached for discussions.

“We have not invited anyone to the UDF. We will not reject anyone either. Any decision will be taken collectively and transparently,” he said.

–IANS

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