BJP's defeat gives high hopes: LDF convener

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan said one shouldn't be overconfident and underestimate the strength of BJP just because they failed in the recent assembly polls. Adressing a meet the press here, Vijayaraghavan said the defeat of BJP in three states has given high hopes for secular forces.

"It's truly an answer to all the violence, corruption and misogyny that runs deeply within and outside the BJP. It shows that the party has lost its influence. But, we should not neglect the fact that Congress had to fight a neck-on-neck battle with BJP in Madhya Pradesh and finished just two seats short of simple majority", said Vijayaraghavan.

According to him, underrating BJP's power based on this election result is foolishness. Secular forces need to strengthen their fight for achieving the desired result in the Lok Sabha polls.

Vijayaraghavan alleged that in Kerala both opposition and BJP are playing a friendly game.

"The attitude of opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai are same. UDF leaders are speaking BJP's language, BJP's tone and supporting BJP's political violence and misogyny. Seems like congress lacks any point to say, thus they copy BJP's statements. If BJP protest on Sannidhanam, congress will protest at Nilackal", says LDF convener.

He added that construction of 'wall of women' (vanitha mathil) from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram on January 1 in which around 30 lakh women are expected to participate, is part of building public resistance against retrograde movements that try to deny equal rights to women.