Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a fierce attack on Kerala’s ruling LDF and the Congress-led Opposition UDF, claiming that both parties have similar personalities, are wrecking the state’s economy together, and have come to be associated with corruption.
Speaking at an election rally in Paravur, Ernakulam district, Singh stated, “It’s so unfortunate that the people in Kerala vote to expel one of them every five years, but the other one comes to power. While the LDF stands for Loot, Divisive, Failure, the UDF means Untrustworthy, Dishonesty, Fraud, and the Front in both stands for a friend of corruption.”
The BJP has put up candidates for the 140-member Kerala Assembly in 98 constituencies, including Paravur.
Singh mocked the LDF government over the Sabarimala gold scam case, which involved the theft and misappropriation of gold from idols and door frames at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa shrine, by saying, “In God’s own country, even God is not safe,” in response to the Congress’s accusation of a “tacit understanding” between the BJP and the CPI(M) to defeat the UDF. “Even God is not safe in his own nation. The LDF government has betrayed Lord Ayyappa for some wealth, just as Judas, one of Jesus Christ’s twelve disciples, did. In this state, where UDF and LDF are identical, neither God nor the populace are safe.
The BJP is relying on the popularity of government projects and hopes for a consolidation of anti-Left and anti-Congress support in Kerala, where politics have been extremely bipolar. The BJP promised an AIIMS for Kerala, a Rs 2,500 monthly grocery and healthcare recharge, and a Rs 3,000 monthly pension for women heads of low-income households and other disadvantaged groups in its manifesto, which was made public earlier this week. Additionally, it promised a timely CBI investigation into the gold theft case in Sabarimala.
Singh brought up the contentious 2020 gold smuggling issue and accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s family of being complicit, alluding to the CPI(M)-led LDF administration. Attacking the UDF, he enumerated numerous frauds that occurred throughout its existence, including the solar scam allegation. He accused the CPI(M) of engaging in “politics of violence” in the state and said, “Both are in competition when it comes to looting the state.”
