Kerala CM denounces IUML leaders’ meeting with Sandeep Varier

PTI, Nov 17, 2024, 3:18 PM IST

Palakkad: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday criticised the meeting of former BJP leader Sandeep G Varier and the top leaders of Indian Union Muslim League, a day after he joined the Congress party, saying the workers and supporters of the IUML won’t accept this.

The CM also accused the media of “glorifying” Varier joining the grand old party without mentioning his name.

While addressing a bypoll campaign meeting of LDF candidate P Sarin here, Vijayan said the latest turn of events and interventions were due to the anxieties of the “right wing media” and the grand old party about the upcoming election in Palakkad assembly segment.

He said people of Palakkad really wish for a change during the November 20 bypoll and the “right wing camp,” which realised this is anxious.

However, the Left veteran didn’t directly mention Varier’s name throughout his speech.

Vijayan said the news of Varier’s paying visit to IUML leaders brought back memories of an election held in Ottapalam in this district soon after the demolition of the Babri Masjid many years ago.

The CM alleged that though the masjid was demolished by the RSS-led Sangh Parivar, it was the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and the Congress-led central government that had extended all support for that.

He further charged that the then IUML leadership was not willing to question the Congress party in Kerala over this out of fear of losing the ministership in the UDF government in the state at that time.

The IUML leadership had to face the ire of the party workers then as they had failed to oppose the wrong stand adopted by the Congress party, he charged.

Referring to the present developments, the CM said the people of the state were aware about all these facts and would realise the opportunistic stand.

Everybody, including the secular people and members of the minority communities in Palakkad have clear knowledge of the stance of this person (Sandeep Varier) so far, he said.

His visit to the Panakkad family was part of an attempt to look whether any change can be made in this by holding talks with IUML leaders, Vijayan alleged.

The CM also criticised IUML Spremo Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, saying he was acting like a worker of Jamaat-e-Islami.

A day after he joined the Congress party, Sandeep Varier on Sunday visited prominent leaders of the league, the second largest coalition partner in the Congress-led UDF, in Malappuram.

He was received by IUML chief Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, veteran party leader P K Kunhalikutty and so on.

While addressing reporters later, Varier hailed the contribution of the Panakkad family in fostering the secular fabric and humanity in the state and in the country.

He further said that cutting across politics, everybody accepts the fact that it was the Panakkad family who laid the foundation for the humanitarian harmony of Malappuram which is an exemplary model to the entire country.

Thangal also told media that he was happy to welcome Varier to the world of secularism, democracy and friendship.

The joining of Sandeep Varier in the Congress was a political twist ahead of the crucial bypoll in Palakkad assembly constituency on November 20.