Oommen Chandy made to eat his words

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who triggered  a controversy on Saturday saying that  the contest was between the UDF and the BJP in certain places like Kuttanad and Manjeshwaram, had to eat his words later and assert that he was misquoted.

Mr Chandy said  that a part of his speech was twisted.  He had actually replied to CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury’s statement that the Congress had entered into a tie-up with the BJP. “In those places where BJP is a formidable force, the CPM is not putting up a good battle. In Manjeshwaram and Kuttanad, when UDF is the formidable force, it is the BJP which is coming second. In such cases, how can the UDF and the BJP decide to work together?” said Mr Chandy.

He also claimed that the Congress was the only party which can defeat and oppose the BJP at the national level.  He added that the CPM was trying to gain the support of the minorities by give out a message that the UDF and the BJP were hand in glove.

Earlier, Mr Chandy had said at a campaign meeting in Kuttanad in Alappuzha that in constituencies where the BJP was strong, the fight was between the Congress and the BJP.    “The CPM will come to the third position,” he said.  Mr Chandy had made a similar comment during his campaign  in the Aruvikkara by-election.

However, KPCC chief V.M. Sudheeran rubbished his statement and said the fight was  between the UDF and the LDF. Later,  senior Congress leader A.K. Antony also seconded Mr Sudheeran’s  view.  Mr Antony, who has been brandishing the BJP as a threat to  society, told reporters in Thrissur that  the rise of the BJP as a third force was dangerous.

“The people are fed up with the rule of  Narendra Modi government for the last two years. The rise of the BJP as a third force in the state shows the danger the state is facing,”  said Mr Antony. However, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan said Mr Chandy had finally recognised the BJP's strength.