Ruling front, opposition spar over vote trade in Kerala assembly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The ruling front and the opposition sparred over allegations of vote-trading during the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address on Monday.

They accused each other of having a secret alliance with the BJP. KK Shailaja, who moved the motion, kicked off the debate by blaming the Congress for BJP’s growth in the country.

Superstitions like using cow dung as a remedy to Covid-19 was not promoted by the BJP alone. Congressmen in UP and some other rural parts of the country too believed this, she said.    

Shailaja is the first woman in the history of the Kerala Assembly to move a motion of thanks for the Governor’s address. In her address, she detailed the achievements of the previous LDF government in which she was a minister. Investments in public health and its democratic utilisation helped the state handle Covid-19 effectively, she said. The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) funded the development of public hospitals as hitech hospitals. The government could make historic achievements despite various challenges, she said. 

Countering Shailaja, Congress’ Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said the LDF had a secret understanding with the BJP in the election. He cited some constituencies like Thavanur and Nadapuram as proof for the vote trade. IUML’s N Shamsuddeen said a continuity to the LDF government was Sangh Parivar’s wish. According to him, Congress candidates prevented the BJP win in Nemom, Thrissur and Palakkad, constituencies where it had high hopes. In Manjeswaram, the IUML candidate was to be credited for the defeat of BJP’s K Surendran. Congress’ P T Thomas and T Siddique said the LDF resorted to communal politics in the assembly election.  

The treasury bench claimed that the LDF would have won 10 more seats if not for the BJP’s vote drain in favour of the UDF. Mathew T Thomas, D K Murali and U Prathibha MLA spoke in detail about the BJP-UDF alliance. Prathibha said she won the seat despite the vote trade. CPM’s K Ansalan said the BJP had led the UDF during the past five years.    

Kadakampally clarifies on 'apology'

Former devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran on Monday said he did not apologise over the incidents at Sabarimala after the SC verdict. Participating in the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, Kadakampally said his response to a reporter’s question was that he was sad over the untoward incidents.