Row deepens over Jamaat-e-Islami support for Cong-led UDF in Nilambur bypoll
A political controversy has erupted in Kerala over Jamaat-e-Islami's backing of the Congress-led UDF in the Nilambur bypoll, triggering accusations and counter-accusations between the CPI(M), Congress, and BJP. The BJP alleges that both Congress and CPI(M) are compromising national security for electoral gains by aligning with Jamaat-e-Islami and the PDP.
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A political storm continues to brew in Kerala over Jamaat-e-Islami 's support for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the upcoming Nilambur bypoll The issue, which sparked heated exchanges on June 10, escalated further on Wednesday as leaders from the CPI(M), Congress, and BJP traded barbs over past alliances and national security concerns.The controversy centers on whether secular parties should accept the backing of organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami-backed Welfare Party and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), led by controversial cleric Abdul Nasar Madani.While the Congress and CPI(M) sought to defend or distance themselves from the support, the BJP accused both of compromising national interest for electoral gains.Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan countered that Jamaat-e-Islami had supported the Left from 1996 to 2019 through its political wing, the Welfare Party. He said the shift to the UDF in 2019 reflected the group's national decision to support the Congress."Calling them progressive when they support the Left and communal when they support the UDF is unfair," he said. He also took a dig at the CPI(M), citing its historical reluctance to accept Indian independence.Muraleedharan added that the UDF had opposed Madani's detention without trial, and PDP's current alliance with the Left was their independent choice.Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged that both Congress and the CPI(M) were compromising the nation's security by aligning with Jamaat-e-Islami and the PDP."This shows how desperate they are to grab power," he said, accusing Jamaat-e-Islami of making repeated anti-national statements and linking Madani to terror-related cases."This opportunistic politics is dangerous. It's giving divisive forces a formal role and a gateway to power in Kerala," Chandrasekhar told PTI Videos.CPI(M) Kerala state secretary M V Govindan said the Left party has never had a political alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami.He clarified that while the group has occasionally supported individual Left candidates, no formal tie-up was ever made.Govindan also reaffirmed the CPI(M)'s view that the PDP represents the marginalised. He described Madani as a rare political leader who had faced prolonged persecution.On Tuesday, Govindan had alleged that the support extended by the Welfare party for the UDF candidate reflected a continuing communal trend in the Congress-led alliance in the state.KPCC president and MLA Sunny Joseph hit back at CPI(M)'s criticism of the Welfare Party's support for the UDF in the Nilambur bypoll.He accused the CPI(M) of double standards, saying the party treats every group it aligns with as "pure" and labels others as "impure."The row erupted after the Welfare Party announced support for UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath in the June 19 Nilambur bypoll, calling it a chance for voters to respond to nine years of what it sees as damaging Left rule in Kerala.The party accused the state government of siding with Sangh Parivar forces, suppressing protests, and ignoring the struggles of backward communities and minorities.It said the bypoll result should reflect public anger against misuse of power and lack of justice.
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