‘Avarice’ of Congress, BJP will crash in Lok Sabha elections, says Pinarayi Vijayan

PTI, Apr 23, 2019, 12:37 PM IST

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan came down heavily on opposition Congress-led UDF and BJP-led NDA Tuesday, saying the “avarice” of both the fronts would come crashing down in the Lok Sabha elections as candidates of the CPI(M) headed LDF would win with a thumping majority.

Vijayan cast his vote at a local school in Pinarayi in northern Kannur district along with his family members in the morning.

In an apparent reference to BJP president Amit Shah, Vijayan said those who had led”communal violence” in north India, thought that they could win the heart of people of the state by organsing road shows.

The Congress did not even talk about its election manifesto during the party’s election campaigns, he alleged.

“They hoped that they could garner votes by creating misunderstanding among people. But their dreams are not going to be fulfilled,” the Chief Minister said and asserted that LDF would achieve remarkable victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala expressed confidence that the UDF would win all the 20 seats and AICC chief Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad would have a massive impact on the poll results.

“It will be a twenty out of twenty victory for Congress and UDF. People will give befitting reply to the Narendra Modi led BJP government at the Centre and Pinarayi VIjayan headed state government,” he said.

BJP leader Kummanam Rajeshakaran, who quit as Mizoram Governor, to contest from Thiruvananthapuram, said people in the prestigious constituency want a change. Though this is the capital of Kerala, there was no development, he claimed.

Senior Congress leader and CWC member, A K Antony, who cast his vote in the state captial, said Keralites want a change of government in New Delhi.

They are confident that only a Nehru-Gandhi leader can end the “divisive rule” of the Narendra Modi regime, he said. Most of the people also want to teach a lesson to the CPI(M)-led LDF government of Pinarayi Vijayan, he said.

Kerala recorded 11.61 per cent voting till 9 AM in the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state, where Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor and Union minister, Alphons Kannamthanam are the key contenders.