Bypoll results show people rejected anti-incumbency campaign: CPI

PTI Thiruvananthapuram: CPI, the secondlargest coalition partner in the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), on Sunday said that the bypoll results proved that the people of Kerala have rejected the propaganda unleashed by political opponents about the alleged anti-incumbency wave in the state. The remarkable victory in Chelakkara segment and the increasing vote share in Palakkad constituency during the bypoll were proof of the further strengthening of the foundation of the Left front in the state, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam said in a statement here. The bypoll results proved that the people of the state have rejected the propaganda unleashed by the Congress and the BJP about the alleged anti-incumbency wave in the state, he said.

In Wayanad also, the LDF waged a political battle fighting against all odds, he said, adding that the flow of money and the caste and religion based propaganda did not dampen the political will of the Left front there. “The Congress cannot cover up its political mistakes by talking about the majority,” the CPI leader said apparently referring to the huge win by Congress candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the mountain constituency - Wayanad. He further accused the Congress-led UDF of joining hands with communal forces for political gains in the bypolls in which the front retained its Assembly and Lok Sabha seats when the results were announced on Saturday. The erosion of BJP votes and the support of communal forces have helped the UDF in Palakkad, Viswam alleged, adding that the victory celebration of the SDPI outfit in the constituency was proof of this. The “unholy nexus” between the Congress and the BJP was evident in all the three constituencies- Wayanad, Chelakkara and Palakkad, he further said.

The LDF base has improved in the state despite opposition from reactionary forces and their media, the CPI leader added. Both the LDF and the UDF on Saturday retained the Chelakkara and Palakkad Assembly seats respectively, with a comfortable margin in the bypolls. The Congress won the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat by a thumping margin.