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Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday said that there was a "clear wave" in Kerala in favour of the United Democratic Front (UDF), which he said will win "more than 100 seats" in the forthcoming Legislative Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference here, the Congress Lok Sabha MP claimed that the people of the state wanted a change from the current Left-led regime and are in support of the UDF. "A clear wave in favour of the UDF is visible in Kerala. The people are now in a mindset of saying 'enough' to a government that has been in power for the past ten years," the MP from Alapuzha said. "Inni ningal Venda" (Now we don't want you), the public is now preparing to tell the government, which has been ruling them for 10 years," Venugopal said "Whomever you ask- and I don't mean just party workers or leaders, but the general public--when asked about a third term, they say 'No' even before the question is finished," he said. "We are very confident. April 9th is the election date. Certainly, UDF is going to win with a thumping majority. More than 100 seats, we are going to win. Kerala is for a change. People of Kerala are completely, totally ready for a change. That change is going to reflect in the election results," he added. Further, addressing the press conference today along with KPCC Prez Sunny Joseph and AICC General Secretary, Deepa Das Munshi, Venugopal alleged that the that the State government is spending crores of rupees on Public Relations to make its ugly face look better. He also expressed readiness, on the party's behalf, for a public debate on the Congress manifesto, saying, "If the Chief Minister is prepared for it, we are equally ready." The Congress leader said that throughout this election, they have repeatedly highlighted "the anti-people nature of the government." He alleged that the Chief Minister Pinrayi Vijayan "has spent more from the state treasury to polish his own image than anyone else in the history of Kerala." Further, Venugopal described the recent remarks made by Chief Minister Vijayan in an interview to a Malayalam chanel, for dissident CPM leader Sudhakaran as "petty." Venugopal said the "petty" remark reveals the Chief Minister's "true colours," which the Congress leader claimed was usually hidden behind expensive PR exercises and a "saintly" image adopted for the election. The AICC General Secretary noted that despite several PR-driven attempts to make the CM appear "smiling" and "softened," his reaction to G Sudhakaran proves he hasn't changed. Sudhakaran, a former minister, left the CPI (M) party to file his nomination as an independent candidate, with support from the UDF, from the Ambalappuzha Assembly constituency in Alappuzha on March 21. Sudhakaran was previously elected four times on the CPI(M) ticket from Ambalappuzha. Later addressing mediapersons, Venugopal questioned Chief Minister Vijayan's mental state over his recent remark against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him as the "B-team of BJP." Defending Gandhi, the Congress MP said that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha is known for raising his voice against the failure of the Modi government. "I am very sympathetic to the attitude and the situation that CM Pinarayi Vijayan is facing. The allegation he raised against Rahul Gandhi is completely pathetic in his nature and stature. The people of India know about Rahul Gandhi, the way in which Rahul Gandhi criticises and attacks the failures of Narendra Modi in each and every second. Every case is Indo-US trade, farmers' agitation, youth agitation, wherever the situation is, the leader who is completely attacking Narendra Modi's failure is Rahul Gandhi. Pinarayi Vijayan came up with a new invention that Rahul Gandhi is a B team of the BJP. I have only sympathy with Pinarayi Vijayan. I don't know what happened to his mental state," he said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vijayan dismissed the impact of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi on the party's growth in the state. 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." The developments come as Kerala prepares for its140-member Legislative Assembly elections, which will be held in a single phase on April 9, 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)
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