Senior Kerala BJP leader R Balashankar has alleged that the CPM has a covert deal with the saffron party in the state, and as a result, he was denied a seat in Chengannur. He claimed that the BJP has fielded a candidate that is integral to CPM’s victory, and added that the saffron party behave like a mafia rather than a political party. Balashankar is a BJP intellectual and former editor of the Organiser Weekly.
Claiming that the party doesn’t have any democratic spirit, he adds that his removal from the list was deliberate but the party cannot explain away why a senior loyal member with over 40 years of experience was denied the ticket. He explains that he has the support of different socio-religious groups as well as local vote share, thus ensuring a winning chance in the constituency. He added that he started his campaigning with the go-ahead from the national leadership.
Balashankar noted that the CPM and BJP are engaged in a quid-pro-quo deal as the latter will allow CPM to win Chengannur, while the left party will help BJP in Konni. He asked why the saffron party would field K Surendran in Konni when he came third during the 2019 by-election. Moreover, Surendran did not produce any good performance, as he was also third in the Lok Sabha election from Pathanamthitta. Balashankar alleged that the BJP is sacrificing two A-class constituencies — Chengannur and Aranmula — to win Konni.
“It is a practically impossible task to contest from Konni and Manjeshwaram in regards to the campaigning. Surendran said he would rent a helicopter for the purpose while forgetting that he had criticised CM Pinarayi Vijayan for the latter’s helicopter ride,” Balashankar said. He added that Surendran is not a friendly candidate, as he had lost all his elections. While talking to media persons, Balashankar poked at the party leadership saying that the “current gang” in inept, and if they don’t change then the party wouldn’t be able to get to power in thirty years.
