Bengaluru:
The Congress’ indecision regarding its Kerala chief ministerial nominee has prompted a scathing jibe by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who accused the party of stabbing its own leaders in the back.
The Mallikarjun Kharge-led party hasn’t yet announced the name of their chief ministerial pick in Kerala, several days after its alliance scored a landslide victory in the Assembly elections. The party is currently grappling with competing claims on the coveted post, with KC Venugopal emerging as the frontrunner.
Hinting at reported infighting in Karnataka between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, PM Modi said the Congress-led state government was spending its time resolving internal disputes, not solving people’s problems. He pointed out that in Kerala, the party hasn’t been able to conclude as to who will be the next chief minister of the state.
“Instead of solving the problems of the people, the government here is spending most of its time resolving internal disputes. It has still not been decided how long the Chief Minister will remain in office…Even in Kerelam now, they are unable to reach a conclusion. They make promises to their own party leaders and then stab them in the back. The same happened in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The same game is still going on in Karnataka. Now it is Kerala’s turn,” PM Modi said in Karnataka.
Also read: 3 In Race, 1 Frontrunner: Inside Congress’ Kerala Chief Minister Discussions
Congress’ Kerala Conundrum
The Congress-led UDF won 102 of the state’s 140 seats. However, it’s been nearly a week since the results, but the party hasn’t been able to finalise its chief ministerial choice.
The party has to decide between KC Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala and VD Satheesan. However, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s choice for the chief minister’s post in Kerala is KC Venugopal, the party MP from the state’s Alappuzha Lok Sabha seat, people with direct knowledge of the matter told NDTV.
Per the sources, Satheesan is against Venugopal becoming the chief minister because he, being a Congress general secretary, exerted pressure on MLAs to create camps and groups in the party’s Kerala unit.
Venugopal is being seen as ahead of others. However, the Congress is torn between choosing him, a national leader, or a local leader who enjoys support on the ground.
Several senior Congress leaders have left the party over the past few years over internal disputes.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi Wants KC Venugopal As Kerala Chief Minister, Meets Him Privately: Sources
‘Congress Parasitic Party’
PM Modi today called the Congress a parasitic party.
“Wherever Congress is in power, either the treasury is being looted to serve a royal court, or there are internal fights over looted money. The Congress today has become known as a parasitic party. That is why, at the first opportunity, it betrays even its allies. Hence, it is often said that there is no one whom Congress has not deceived,” PM Modi added.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar refuted PM Modi’s remark that there is infighting in the state.
“No chairs are wobbling in Karnataka. All chairs are stable. I don’t know what the PM is referring to,” he said.
