Cong sees ‘scheme’ in BJP skipping Achuthanandan’s seat

Congress leader and UDF’s Chief Ministerial probable Oommen Chandy said on Sunday said BJP’s decision not to field a party nominee in the segment reflected the co-operation between CPI-M and the saffron party at the national level where they are on the same side in opposing the UPA at the Centre.

There was every reason to suspect it was on the strength of this co-operation that BJP asserted from the start that it would open its account in Kerala this time at any cost,he said

Congress also said BJP’s explanation of generously earmarking the seat for its ally was quite illogical as JDU is an ‘insignificant’ political entity in Kerala by any reckoning.

The party also said this was for the first time that BJP was going without a contestant in Malampuzha since the 1990s as it had some strong pockets of influence there.

BJP candidate C K Padmanabhan collected over 9000 votes from that segment alone when he contested the last Lok Sabha polls from Palakkad,under which Malampuzha falls. In the 2010 civic polls,BJP had picked up a few wards in some panchayats in Malampuzha,while it bit the dust in most other parts of the district.

Citing these figures,Congress leaders contended it would be difficult to digest the BJP’s argument that the seat was alloted to its minor partner without any rhyme or reason. “It is mysterious that the BJP has skipped Malampuzha while it has put up its contestants even in those segments where the party does not have a semblence of presence”,Chandy said.

The Congress leader also dared the CPI(M) to come clean on the issue.