Developments in Thrissur: Congress allows BJP to grow, slams Vijayan
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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday accused the Congress of facilitating the BJP's growth in the state, citing recent political developments in Mattathur panchayat in Thrissur district, PTI reported.
In Mattathur, eight Congress councillors resigned from the party and joined hands with the BJP to support an independent candidate for the president's post, preventing the LDF from retaining control of the local body.
In the panchayat election, the ruling LDF emerged as the single-largest front with 10 seats, followed by the Congress with 8 and the BJP with 4.
Two others, including Congress rebel K R Ouseph, were also elected. When the election to the post of panchayat president was held on Saturday, Ouseph decided to support the LDF.
In view of this, the eight Congress councillors resigned from the party and backed independent candidate Tessi Jose along with the BJP for the president's post.
This 'alliance' of resigned Congress councillors and the BJP secured victory in the election.
However, the councillors later clarified that they had not joined the BJP, even as the Congress's Thrissur District Congress Committee issued orders suspending the councillors, including Ouseph, from the party.
In a Facebook post, Vijayan said the Congress was a party constantly waiting for an opportunity to make a “single jump” into the BJP, and that such a jump was witnessed at Mattathur.
He alleged that all Congress candidates who were elected as panchayat members defected to the BJP, enabling it to seize power.
“Only eight Congress members were left in the UDF there. The BJP swallowed them whole, leaving not even one behind,” he said, adding that such a political spectacle was unprecedented in Kerala.