K Babu afraid of losing: M Swaraj

KOCHI: A day after excise minister K. Babu alleged his opponents instigating violence before the elections, CPM hit back saying that his utterances came from the fear of losing. Addressing a press conference here at the Ernakulam Press Club on Wednesday, CPM's Tripunithura candidate M. Swaraj said Mr Babu, who has been representing the constituency for the last 25 years, is unleashing malignant campaigns and resorting to indecent political means out of the fear of losing.

Mr Swaraj alleged that that the minister is playing petty politics by fielding a namesake, found after extensive search in his native place Angamaly.
“But, CPM will never adopt such petty tactics,” he said. “Rather than resorting to false campaigns against me, the minister could have pointed out his achievements during his long term as MLA,” he said.

A gang of goondas from Angamaly has been camping in the constituency and engaged in damaging the LDF campaign materials, he alleged. “By ignoring my complaints about defamatory posters and hateful speeches, police and the district administration have been acting like UDF activists,” he said.

“During the previous elections, Mr Babu was never keen on CPM's posters or damaging his publicity materials. But this time, he lodged several complaints with police authorities and organised press conferences raising allegations against the CPM. “He is disturbed as the voters' general sentiment is against corruption and corrupt leaders,”Mr Swaraj said.

“Like in previous elections, the UDF and the BJP have entered into secret alliance to defeat LDF. Even Prime Minister Modi, who participated in the election campaign meeting at Puthiyakavu, didn't urge people to vote for the BJP candidate in Tripunithura,” he added. Mr Swaraj also pointed out that several parts of the constituency are still reeling under acute water scarcity and criticised the minister for not taking steps to complete the road and development projects stuck midway.