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New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Nilambur sets tone for future polls; emotional topics trump real issues
MALAPPURAM: UDF is pinning hopes on the possible consolidation of anti-CPM Muslim votes that are likely to be divided among Aryadan Shoukath, P V Anvar, who is fighting as independent, and SDPI candidate Sadiq Naduthodi. There is fear in the UDF camp that the votes against the 'anti-people policies' of the LDF government may be divided among these candidates as all of them raised similar issues against the CPM in the campaign. Jama'at had intensified the campaign with added vigour as the stake is high for the organisation. More than anything else, the CPM raised the issue of Welfare Party's support to the UDF as the main component of the campaign. The UDF believes that the CPM has ulterior motive of garnering the Hindu votes behind singling out the Jama'at, sidelining all other issues including the performance of the government and the development of the constituency. CPM state secretary M V Govindan's controversial remarks on the RSS became an unexpected tool for the UDF to buttress the argument. Welfare Party state president Razal Paleri said it is imperative to defeat the RSS-CPM coalition in Nilambur. 'The stand taken by the BJP in the initial stages of the election had raised suspicions. Now it is clear as to why the party fielded a weak candidate,' he said in a press release. In an article published in the Madhyamam daily on Wednesday, Jama'at leader O Abdurrahman said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM leaders tried to add spice to the campaign by bringing his organisation into the centre of discussions. 'Even before the Welfare Party declared support to the UDF, CPM state secretary M V Govindan and politburo member A Vijayaraghavan competed with each other to keep anti-Jama'at sentiments burning,' he said. There are also efforts from the UDF to utilise the anti-CPM sentiments raging in organisations that are traditionally loyal to the CPM. Facebook posts of Muhammadali Kinalur, former leader of the Kanthapuram group's Sunni Yuvajana Sangham, were used to put the CPM in trouble. Kinalur, however, clarified that his posts are his personal opinions and not that of any organisation.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
CPI(M), Congress trade barbs over Jamaat-e-Islami backing UDF in Nilambur bypolls
As the campaign for the by-election in the Nilambur assembly constituency in Kerala enters the last lap, the two principal political fronts LDF and UDF continued to clash with each other over maintaining friendship with fringe outfits like the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI). The controversy in the June 19 bypoll campaign stemmed after the Welfare Party of India (WPI), the political arm of JeI, announced its support for the UDF in the bypoll last week. Since 2019, the WPI has backed the UDF in most elections. Following the WPI's move, the CPI(M) has targeted the Congress-led UDF relentlessly for maintaining close links with 'extremist' outfits like JeI and accepting their support during election campaigns. CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan asked the Congress national leadership to clarify if it has the same stance as the state leadership about an outfit like the JeI. 'For the first time in India, a Congress leader publicly said the current form of JeI was unlike its past and that the outfit has changed. Priyanka Gandhi is here to campaign in Nilambur. I want her to clarify if the national leadership also feels the same way about JeI. What's the Congress national leadership's stand on tying up with communal outfits like the JeI,' said Govindan. He said the Congress would make JeI an associate partner of the UDF to garner a 'few votes' in Nilambur and in the upcoming local body and assembly elections. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan hit back stating that CM Pinarayi Vijayan was the first to welcome Jamaat-e-Islami leaders. 'He even said once that there was no need for anyone to cover their heads while meeting JeI leaders, indicating it was not wrong to meet them. But now, the CM has forgotten all that. He has changed his colours. The CPM's target is clear. It wants to divert the public attention away from the failures of the state government during the bypoll campaign,' he said. The Nilambur bypoll is scheduled on June 19 and the votes will be counted on June 23.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CPM blames abolition of Article 370 for J&K unrest
T'puram: CPM state secretary MV Govindan said on Friday that the abrogation of Article 370, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status, was a key factor that fomented unrest in the valley, resulting in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Whenever the Centre tried to meddle with the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, it faced setbacks and peace was hit, he added. Addressing a news conference after CPM's state secretariat meeting, Govindan said the terrorist group that claimed responsibility for the attack had set the reinstatement of Jammu and Kashmir's special status as its primary demand. Govindan said CPM strongly condemned the attack and wanted the Centre to take suitable action against those behind the attack. There were attempts to portray the attack as a Hindu-Muslim issue and such attempts to widen the divide between communities should be checked effectively, he said. Govindan said CPM had warned the Centre of the consequences of abrogating Article 370, which honoured and protected the special status bestowed on Jammu and Kashmir, considering the peculiar characteristics of the people living there. Govindan said the BJP govt was making false claims regarding the improved living conditions after the abrogation of Article 370. "Social life was severely hit after the abolition of Article 370. Education and health sectors were affected and unemployment increased substantially. But the Centre claimed that everything had improved drastically after the elimination of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir," he said. Govindan claimed that BJP supported certain terror outfits and struck a poll alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami in the last assembly election, which the Centre was forced to hold following the directive of the Supreme Court. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He said attempts to divide people over faith should be avoided. 'Condemns cyberattack on Arati' He also condemned the cyberattack against the daughter of N Ramachandran, who was shot dead by terrorists in Pahalgam. The cyberattack against Arati R Menon brought disgrace to Kerala, he said, adding that CPM would organize anti-terror programmes across Kerala on April 29 and 30
