Thiruvananthapuram, March 21 – AICC general secretary and Alappuzha MP K.C. Venugopal intensified his criticism of the BJP and the CPI(M) in Kerala on Saturday, alleging a "secret agreement" between the two parties, with Palakkad emerging as a key flashpoint.
"The cat is out of the bag," Venugopal said, referring to the CPI(M)'s decision to field an independent candidate, N.M.R. Razaq, who has strong backing from the Left, as clear evidence of a covert understanding with the BJP.
He maintained that this was not an isolated incident. "This is not just in Palakkad; such an arrangement exists in a few other constituencies as well," he said.
Congress candidate, popular actor and stage artiste Ramesh Pisharody, echoed similar accusations, calling the alleged BJP-CPI(M) nexus an "open secret". He said the understanding was also visible beyond Palakkad.
Pisharody also stated that he would not involve his friends from the film industry in the campaign, as he did not want to expose them to cyberattacks.
He also expressed confidence that the controversy surrounding Rahul Mamkootathil would not affect the election outcome.
Palakkad has become one of the most closely watched contests, featuring a high-profile triangular fight. Besides Pisharody, the fray includes BJP's firebrand leader Sobha Surendran and CPI(M)'s surprise pick Razaq, who is known for his business acumen as well as his popular biryani ventures.
Responding to the allegations, Sobha Surendran, who is returning to the constituency after finishing second in 2016, dismissed the charges as a sign of Congress anxiety. "It appears that the Congress and its leadership have now accepted that they are losing and we are winning," she said.
Leader of the Opposition, V.D.Satheesan, on Saturday said that the details of this secret agreement are now emerging, and it exists in Palakkad and 10 other constituencies, and that it is a mutual agreement.
"When the CPI-M helps the BJP, the BJP also helps the CPI-M, and Chengannur is one example of this," said Satheesan.