Kochi: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran on Friday remarked that his earlier statement about a surprise element in the selection of Congress candidates has now come true. 'How is our strategy?' he asked the media following the Congress party's announcement of its first list of 39 candidates including 16 in Kerala on Friday.
While Rahul Gandhi will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Kerala's Wayanad once again, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal will contest from Alappuzha constituency. Shashi Tharoor was renominated from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
He emphasized that the list was meticulously crafted after thorough evaluation of all prospects to determine the most suitable candidate for each region. Concurrently, opposition leader VD Satheesan accused the CPM of paving the way for the BJP's debut in Kerala. He alleged that the CPM is fostering an environment conducive for the BJP to gain ground in the state.
"Didn't we indicate earlier that a surprise awaited you? We reiterated this yesterday, and today you're experiencing it first-hand. How does our strategy appear? In certain constituencies, the party has taken the sole responsibility to replace incumbent MPs. We have made these decisions meticulously, in consultation with senior leaders at all levels of the party, to ascertain the most suitable candidate for each region," stated Sudhakaran.
Satheesan highlighted that the Left should refrain from contesting against Rahul Gandhi if they are adhering to their own principles. He pointed out that when Rahul Gandhi contested in Wayanad previously, there was no such alliance at the national level. "Why then did you attempt to thwart Rahul's candidacy? These remarks are now being made by CPM members who previously attacked Rahul Gandhi's office with the assistance of criminals. The public is aware of how they treated Rahul Gandhi," he asserted.
"The two CPM candidates who contested in Tamil Nadu last time won by posting posters with Rahul Gandhi's image there. It was the leaders of Kerala who requested Rahul Gandhi to contest in Kerala itself. All the coalition members asked me, the UDF chairman, to accept the demand. We brought this matter to the attention of the party leadership. The general consensus within the UDF in Kerala is that Rahul Gandhi should contest here. The party has acceded to this demand. Why is the LDF so perturbed by it?
"The CPM has made all the arrangements to facilitate the BJP's entry into Kerala. The CPM is apprehensive of the BJP. This is evident from LDF convener EP Jayarajan's assertion that the BJP will secure the second position in many constituencies in Kerala. The CPM is endeavoring to carve out a space for the BJP, a position they don't currently occupy in Kerala. They are creating room for a presence they don't even claim. Our stance is clear to everyone. We have taken all necessary precautions to prevent them from making inroads anywhere. When Jayarajan makes such statements, I feel sorry for the CPM. The CPM will find itself in the third position there," remarked Satheesan.
