Thiruvananthapuram, March 31 Veteran Congress leader A K Antony alleged on Tuesday a tacit understanding between the ruling CPI(M) and the BJP in Kerala, claiming that both sides were working to prevent the UDF from returning to power.
Addressing a press conference, Antony said there were clear indications of an "undercurrent" between the two parties, pointing to what he described as the "unusually warm reception" extended to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office during his visits to New Delhi.
According to him, leaders at the national level, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the RSS, were keen to ensure that the UDF does not return to power in the southern state.
"They are determined that there should not be another Congress Chief Minister in the South. To achieve that, they will extend support to the Marxist party in certain segments. Such an arrangement cannot be one-sided, and there would naturally be some return support as well," Antony alleged.
However, such tactics would not succeed this time, the former Defence Minister said.
Projecting a decisive victory for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly polls, Antony said public sentiment had already turned against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.
Launching a sharp attack on Vijayan, Antony described him as an "invisible Chief Minister" who, he claimed, remained inaccessible to the common man and was largely visible only through public relations exercises.
He further argued that the LDF's campaign projecting a third consecutive term for Vijayan could backfire.
"The very slogan of a third term is enough to drive voters towards the UDF. Even many traditional Left supporters are not in favour of continuing the present government," he said.
At the same time, Antony maintained that neither he nor his party desired the collapse of the Left in Kerala, as had happened in West Bengal.
"The Left must survive in Kerala, but for that, the present governance under Pinarayi Vijayan needs to come to an end. A period in the opposition would help them get purified and regain their relevance," he said.
Reiterating his criticism of the BJP, the three-time CM of Kerala said the saffron party's ideology is not suited to the state, which is known for its communal harmony.
With the crucial Assembly elections approaching, Antony expressed confidence that the UDF would secure a "historic victory," asserting that a broad section of voters, including politically neutral citizens and Left sympathisers, were backing a change in government.