Thiruvananthapuram: Making a significant political statement, senior Congress leader A K Antony has admitted that his party, on its own, was not in a position to remove Narendra Modi from power in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“The Congress is willing to cooperate with other parties to defeat the BJP government led by Modi. A detailed plan for the purpose would be prepared at the ‘Chintan Shivir’ (brainstorming) event to be held at Udaipur in Rajasthan,” said Antony while inaugurating the national platinum jubilee conference of the Indian Trade Union Congress (INTUC), a pro-Congress organisation of workers and employees, in Thiruvananthapuram.
According to Antony, the Opposition front would be led by the Congress. “However, some parties believe that they would be able to defeat Modi without the support of the Congress,” said Antony, taking a jibe at the Left parties.
Attacking the Left, the former chief minister said: “These parties have a hidden agenda. If the Left is sincere regarding its anti-BJP stand, it should align with the Congress at the national level.”
K Sudhakaran, president of the Kerala unit of the Congress, also took on the Left parties. “Those who are refusing to involve the Congress in the fight against the BJP are in reality anti-national. The Left, even while publicly opposing BJP, is creating conditions favourable to Modi,” he said.
K Karunakaran Memorial Building
G Sanjeeva Reddy, national president of the INTUC, presided over the inaugural function. The speakers at the event included INTUC state chief R Chandrasekharan; former opposition leader of Kerala Ramesh Chennithala; members of Parliament Shashi Tharoor and M K Raghavan and members of the Legislative Assembly M Vincent, Roji M John and Mathew Kuzhalnadan.
Meanwhile, the INTUC’s state committee office ‘K Karunakaran Memorial' building was inaugurated by Sanjeeva Reddy in the presence of Chandrasekharan, Antony, Sudhakaran, senior leader Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, former chief minister Oommen Chandy, Congress leader Padmaja Venugopal and legislator P C Vishnunath.
Leader of Oppn fails to turn up
A notable absence at the INTUC’s programmes was V D Satheesan of the Congress party, who is Kerala’s Opposition Leader. Even though Satheesan was present in Thiruvananthapuram, he did not take part in any of the INTUC events in the city. Incidentally, Satheesan has not been on good terms with the INTUC leadership for some time.
When contacted, the Opposition leader’s office said that Satheesan was busy with meetings related to the upcoming Assembly bypoll at Thrikkakkara in Ernakulam.