Kerala Meeting polls 2026: Pinarayi Vijayan dares Rahul Gandhi to elucidate how Sabarimala gold theft case accused entered Sonia Gandhi’s residence

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday dared the Chief of the Opposition within the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to elucidate how the principle accused within the Sabarimala gold theft case gained straightforward admission to Sonia Gandhi’s high-security residence in Delhi earlier than “stooping” to finger-pointing in opposition to the Left Democratic Entrance (LDF) authorities.

Fielding questions on Mr. Gandhi singing a United Democratic Entrance (UDF) election parody censuring the LDF for the crime, Mr. Vijayan mentioned: “Mr Gandhi ought to make clear how he discovered the theft case accused in his residence”.

Mr. Gandhi had intoned two traces of the ditty at an election conference assembly in Pathanamthitta on Monday, drawing an enthusiastic response from UDF staff. He additionally famous that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the temple theft signaled the Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP)’s tacit electoral understanding with the Communist Occasion of India (Marxist) in Kerala. Mr. Gandhi had additionally raised the SNC Lavalin corruption case in opposition to Mr. Vijayan and mentioned the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case (within the Supreme Courtroom) had reached a lifeless finish due to Mr. Vijayan’s good places of work with Mr. Modi.

Mr. Vijayan sought to counter Mr. Gandhi’s flanking assault in opposition to the CPI(M) by elevating the cash-for-seat controversy swirling across the Congress’s nationwide management, mainly the places of work of Priyanka Gandhi, All India Congress Committee (AICC) common secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, and all MPs from Kerala, together with Kodikunnil Suresh.

Mr. Vijayan famous that the husband of a Mahila Congress chief from Haryana had claimed, with digital proof of money transfers by way of authorized banking channels, that he had channeled vital funds to the places of work of Congress leaders for an Meeting ticket for his spouse. “Promoting occasion seats for money displays the degeneration of the Congress’s apex management. The occasion’s nationwide management has not rejected the cost and gave the impression to be operating for canopy,” he added.

Mr. Vijayan mentioned the Congress was elevating the specter of a CPI(M)-BJP alliance to shore up its fast-eroding assist amongst minorities, who, he claimed, had been gravitating in direction of the LDF given its uncompromising stance in opposition to communalism.

Mr. Vijayan mentioned the Congress had sought the Social Democratic Occasion of India (SDPI)’s votes within the 2024 Palakkad Meeting by-election, not the CPI(M). He famous that SDPI staff had overtly celebrated the Congress’s victory within the seat. “The CPI(M) has no compact with any occasion exterior the LDF. Nonetheless, some forces chary of BJP’s rise would possibly vote for the LDF, given the alliance’s uncompromising secular stance,” he mentioned.

Mr. Vijayan additionally damned the Congress for “pussyfooting” across the BJP’s model of aggressive Hindutva. He mentioned the ideological line between Congress and the BJP was alarmingly blurred. “Kerala has insulated its residents from denaturalisation by passing a regulation allocating them nativity playing cards to avail of public providers and to legally show domicile. Has any Congress authorities handed an identical regulation to guard folks, mainly minorities, from the Centre’s bid to rid them of their residents’ standing?” he requested.