"No major growth visible under Congress; rebels won't dent LDF," says Kerala CM

When asked whether the presence of Rahul Gandhi and other national leaders was helping the Congress expand in Kerala, Vijayan in exlusive interview with ANI, said, "What growth has the Congress party achieved in the places where Rahul Gandhi and other national leaders are working? There isn't any major growth visible in those places. I don't think their coming will bring any particular change in Kerala."

Kerala CM said that some leaders turning against the Communist Party of India (Marxist) over personal ambition is an unprecedented and serious matter, and asserted that the rebel candidates will not affect the prospects of the Left Democratic Front in any manner and expressed confidence that the front will secure convincing victories in all such constituencies.

The Kerala Chief Minister termed the dissidents as "class traitors" and said they are acting as tools in the hands of rivals, adding that party workers should not cooperate with them.

"This has two aspects. First, some individuals have taken a different stand and come out against the party. There is no doubt that such a situation should not happen. In a party like the CPI(M), it is something unprecedented for individuals to turn against the party out of personal ambition. We view this development very seriously, and it needs to be evaluated in depth. However, the fact that such incidents have occurred in a few places will not, in any way, affect the party or the front. Former CPI(M) leaders G Sudhakaran in Ambalappuzha, PK Sasi in Ottapalam, TK Govindan in Taliparamba, and Kunjikrishnan in Payyannur have come forward as candidates. Their candidature will not affect the LDF in any manner. It will not create even the slightest dent in the LDF's victory," CM said.

"In all these constituencies, the LDF will win convincingly. That is what is going to happen, and there is no need for any concern about it. All of them have turned into tools in the hands of the enemy. They are being viewed as complete class traitors, and no one in the CPI(M) should be expected to cooperate with them," he added.

Responding to a question on alleged double standards in cases involving PK Shyamala, wife of CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan, and PP Divya, the Chief Minister defended his party's stance.

He said, "That is not a double standard. We take positions based on the facts before us. If you examine that position, it was not found that PK Shyamala had committed any specific wrongdoing at that time. Therefore, there was no need to take action against her. That is what happened.In the case of PP Divya, she attended an uninvited event and made remarks that should not have been made. This caused significant embarrassment to the party. Therefore, the two incidents are different."

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has dismissed "double standard" allegations, arguing that while Shyamala was exonerated after investigations found no "specific wrongdoing" in the 2019 suicide of NRI businessman Sajan Parayil, the case of P.P. Divya was fundamentally different.

Divya, the former Kannur District Panchayat President, was stripped of her posts and faces abetment charges after publicly shaming ADM K. Naveen Babu at an uninvited event shortly before his death in 2024.

Vijayan, in an interview with ANI, commented on the Bharatiya Janata Party's growth in the state and expressed confidence that it would not make electoral gains in the upcoming Assembly elections.

"Some people wish for the BJP to grow, and they are taking steps for that. The fact that the BJP won the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in the local self-government elections also remains. However, that should not be misunderstood as the entire people of Kerala accepting the BJP. I am firmly convinced that the BJP will not get even a single seat in this Assembly election," said the Chief Minister.

Speaking on the opposition's strength in the state, the Chief Minister asserted that it lacks widespread public support.

He said, "Those who are with the opposition may have a good opinion about them. But the people are not with them. Just a few people coming together is not enough to win or to come to power; the support of the people is needed for that. The opposition in Kerala has not yet risen to a level that is accepted by the people."

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) announced that it will contest 86 seats in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, which will be held in a single phase on April 9.

CPI(M) State Secretary MV Govindan announced that the party will contest 86 seats in the upcoming elections, with 56 sitting MLAs seeking re-election.

"CPI(M) will contest in 86 seats. 56 sitting MLAs will contest again. The Politburo meeting decided that one member from the Politburo should contest in the election. PB member and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will contest in the election. CPI(M) candidates were selected in a completely democratic manner," Govindan said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will contest from his current Dharmadam seat in northern Kannur district, and senior leader and former Health Minister KK Shailaja will contest from the Peravoor constituency in Kannur.

The 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, the Election Commission of India announced today, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on May 4.

The main electoral contest in the State is expected between the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Indian National Congress. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, is also in the fray for the Assembly polls. (ANI)