The arrest of Opposition leaders in various States clearly shows that the BJP is scared of defeat in the coming Lok Sabha elections, D.K. Shivakumar, Congress leader and the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, has said.
Addressing an election campaign meeting of United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate for Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency K. Muraleedharan at Ollur, near Thrissur, on April 8, he said the NDA has become weak in the country.
“The insecure NDA has been embracing every possible party in various States. It formed an alliance with JD(S) in Karnataka, TDP in Telangana and Nithish Kumar’s JD(U) in Bihar.”
“But only one Chief Minister in the Opposition group, who has entered into a secret understanding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is safe. That is Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. No central agency will touch him. It shows the understanding between the CPI(M) and the BJP,” noted Mr. Shivakumar.
JD(S) support
“Kerala is ruled by the Left Democratic Front (LDF). But there is a Power Minister in the Cabinet, who is from the JD(S), which is part of the NDA. The Chief Minister should answer to the people, why is he not expelling the JD(S) Minister,” he said.
Calling Mr. Muraleedharan a ‘tiger’, whom Mr. Modi is afraid of, the Karnataka Congress leader said: “I heard Mr. Modi is coming for the third time to Thrissur for electioneering. The BJP is scared. Whoever is strong, they will try to destroy them.”
“Educated people of Kerala had always stood with the UDF and UPA in crisis time. Kerala created a history in the last LS election. Even when the Congress was reduced to 50 odd seats, this small State contributed 19 seats to it. The huge mandate was not just for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi but to strengthen the secular-democratic values of the county,“ Mr. Shivakumar said.
“Under the LDF rule, the financial situation destabilised in Kerala,” he said.
He also called on LDF supporters to vote for Mr. Muraleedharan if they want to keep the BJP away from power. Only the Congress can defeat the BJP, he added.
“The Congress party has kept the country united. Its history is the history of the country. The country has flourished only during the Congress rule. The UPA brought many rules and amendments for the welfare of people.”
The Congress party has implemented all promises given to the people, whether in Karnataka or in Telangana. The Congress is committed to fulfil all the promises given in its manifesto, including support for women and employees, especially in the unorganised sector, he said.
UDF candidate K. Muraleedharan and other Congress leaders participated.
