Sachin Pilot questions CPM’s silence on BJP, says Pinarayi targets Rahul to please Modi

Kochi: AICC General Secretary Sachin Pilot on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the CPM-led Kerala government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, alleging that its criticism of Rahul Gandhi is aimed at pleasing the BJP leadership.

Addressing a press conference in Kochi, Pilot claimed that the allegations repeatedly raised by Vijayan and other CPM leaders against Rahul Gandhi are part of a “deal” between the CPM and the BJP to satisfy Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Pilot accused the Kerala Chief Minister of engaging in selective criticism, noting that while Vijayan frequently targets Rahul Gandhi, he remains largely silent on the BJP and the central government.

“The CPM has failed to take a strong stand against key central policies, including petroleum pricing and foreign policy decisions. He also claimed that the state government has been hesitant to criticise the Centre over issues such as cooking gas shortages,” he said while addressing the media in Kochi.

Drawing a parallel in governance styles, Pilot remarked that “Modi and Pinarayi are not two, but one,” pointing to similarities in political messaging and publicity, including the use of posters prominently featuring only the leader’s image. He alleged that both Modi and Vijayan believe in autocratic rule.

On the economic front, Pilot alleged that public dissatisfaction is growing in Kerala despite the CPM retaining power for a second consecutive term. He claimed that nearly 95 per cent of the state’s revenue is being used for interest payments and loan repayments, leaving little for development. He also criticised the government for what he described as its failure to attract major industrial investments over the past decade.

Raising questions about an alleged tacit understanding between the two parties, Pilot asked whether the BJP-led central government had ever taken action against CPM leaders. “Has the BJP government ever frozen a CPM bank account or taken action against any CPM leaders?” he asked.

He alleged that central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (IT) department have “unnecessarily harassed” Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, while CPM leaders facing serious allegations have not been subjected to similar scrutiny.

Responding to the question about the UDF’s Chief Ministerial candidate, he said the decision would be taken after consultations among MLAs and the party leadership. “Only the LDF projects a CM face before elections, and the people are tired of that face,” he said.

He also expressed dissatisfaction with the Election Commission’s explanation regarding the presence of a BJP seal on official EC correspondence, stating that the clarification only deepens suspicion and lends weight to concerns earlier raised by Rahul Gandhi.