LDF left out of K'taka swearing-in, says Cong can't unite Oppn

Press Trust of India

Kannur (Kerala): The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Friday criticised the Congress for not inviting Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to the swearing-in ceremony of Siddaramaiah as Karnataka's CM, saying the move shows up the grand old party's immature politics and weakness.

Neighbouring Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister M K Stalin, among others, have been invited and will be attending the swearing in on May 20 in Bengaluru. Congress's move has proved that it cannot carry out the mission of bringing together the secular democratic forces of the country against the BJP's "fascist" politics, LDF Convenor E P Jayarajan said.

"Now, what anti-BJP stand is the Congress party going to adopt in the country?" he asked, speaking to reporters here. The move is an indication of the opposition party's "immature" politics and its lack of direction, Jayarajan said. It also proved that the leadership of the Congress party has become weak at observing and evaluating the national politics and developments of the country, the Marxist party leader alleged.

In the May 10 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, the Congress scored an emphatic victory by bagging 135 seats, while the BJP and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowdaled Janata Dal (Secular) secured 66 and 19 seats respectively.