Thiruvananthapuram Dec 30 (IANS) CWC member and senior legislator Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government, accusing it of indulging in diversionary politics and communal experimentation to cover up governance failures and electoral setbacks.

His remarks came just hours before the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram to participate in the 93rd Sivagiri Theerthadanam conference, being held at Sivagiri Mutt, the famed spiritual centre associated with Sree Narayana Guru.

Chennithala said Vijayan should refrain from advising the Karnataka government while doing nothing within Kerala.

He asserted that the Karnataka Chief Minister was fully capable of handling affairs in his State and that there had been no instance of “bulldozer raj” there.

If people had been evicted from government land, Chennithala pointed out, the Karnataka government had clearly stated that rehabilitation would be ensured.

Accusing the CPI(M) of attempting to extract political mileage from the issue, Chennithala said such efforts were bound to fail.

“This is nothing but an attempt at political profiteering,” he alleged, adding that the people were discerning enough to see through manufactured controversies.

The Congress leader also launched a scathing attack on the Left government’s record on minority welfare.

He claimed that no previous government in Kerala had similarly harassed minorities, alleging that the present administration had frozen all benefits meant for minority communities.

According to Chennithala, the CPI(M)’s renewed political outreach was driven by desperation after minorities voted en bloc against the party in the recent local self-government elections.

He alleged that the ruling party was now experimenting with different forms of communal politics in an attempt to regain lost ground.

“The people of Kerala have the political awareness to recognise these tactics,” he said.

Chennithala further accused the CPI(M) of being unwilling to accept the people’s verdict, noting that despite suffering a major setback in the local body polls, the party had failed to acknowledge its defeat.

“A party that refuses to accept the people’s mandate cannot be rescued by anyone,” he said, warning that the political consequences of such denial would only deepen.

–IANS

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