Pathanamthitta, March 23 Rejecting the Congress charge of a covert CPI(M)-BJP understanding, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said the allegation stems from the UDF’s “fear of defeat” and asserted that the BJP will not win even a single seat in the upcoming Assembly elections.
With campaigning for the April 9 polls intensifying, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has sought to place the alleged “deal” at the centre of its campaign, aiming to prevent minority votes from shifting towards the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).
The UDF has argued that the CPI(M) is tacitly aiding the BJP in select constituencies by fielding weak candidates, thereby enabling the saffron party to gain a foothold.
Vijayan, however, dismissed the charge outright and countered by claiming that it is the Congress that has historically entered into understandings with the BJP.
He pointed to the “Co-Lee-Bee” ( Congress-League and BJP) arrangement often cited in Kerala politics and claimed that even an RSS leader had acknowledged Congress support in multiple constituencies many years back.
According to him, similar patterns of cooperation were evident in certain pockets during the recent local body elections.
Maintaining that the BJP’s growth in Kerala remains limited, Vijayan said that despite marginal gains in vote share, the party would fail to translate that into seats.
He expressed confidence that the LDF would return to power for a third consecutive term with an increased tally, insisting there is no anti incumbency sentiment in the state.
The Congress, however, has doubled down on its allegations framing the alleged CPI(M)-BJP nexus as a strategic threat to secular votes.
Political observers see this as an extension of the 'CJP (CPI(M)-BJP)' narrative earlier articulated by Rahul Gandhi, now sharpened ahead of a tightly-contested election.
The CPI(M) has responded with a counter offensive, with state secretary M.V. Govindan launching a personal attack on Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, accusing him of spreading falsehoods to mask internal divisions within the UDF.
As the campaign gathers momentum, the “deal” allegation has emerged as a central theme, with both fronts attempting to shape voter perception.
Whether the Congress narrative gains traction or the LDF’s rebuttal prevails could play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the 2026 Assembly elections.
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