The recent by-elections following the death of Oommen Chandy have been marked by excuses and accusations. Leaders from the ruling party attribute the results to a sympathy wave, while UDF leaders claim that anti-government sentiment played a role. In an exclusive interview with Kodiyat Manorama Online, Abin Varki, the State General Secretary of the Youth Congress, discussed these issues. One accusation made by Minister VN Vasavan and Left Front candidate Jake C. was that the Congress-BJP pact played a role in the announcement of elections in Puthupally so soon after Chandy’s death. The by-election in Boxanagar constituency, which took place on the same day as the Pudupally by-election, further raised suspicions of an agreement between the CPM and BJP. However, these allegations are seen as the CPM’s attempt to regain some ground after a significant loss. The people of Kerala are aware of the CPM’s relationship with the BJP and various corruption allegations against the Chief Minister’s office, and they attribute the government’s silence on these matters to a CPM-BJP pact. The UDF’s response is that the sympathy wave is reflected in the Pudupally by-election results. During the campaign, the CPM resorted to personal insults against Oommen Chandy’s family, but later claimed that the discussion was related to the development of Pudupally. The people of Puthupally evaluated the work done by Chandy in the past 53 years, including development projects. The UDF had expressed confidence in achieving a dream majority in the by-election, based on the popular sentiment against the government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The UDF’s success in the by-election and their lead in various areas where the Prime Minister campaigned demonstrate this sentiment. The LDF alleges that the UDF received votes from the BJP, pointing to a decrease in CPM and BJP votes compared to previous elections. However, the UDF dismisses these claims and believes that even genuine CPM members voted for them due to their resentment towards Pinarayi Vijayan and dissatisfaction with the CPM’s policies. The UDF’s victory and the decrease in CPM votes indicate a significant blow to the CPM and the current government. The election results show that the people rejected the allegations against the UDF candidate and the government. The CPM’s claims of a political victory in Puthupally are refuted by the overwhelming majority the UDF received. The foundation of the CPM has been shaken, and its true members have voted against the party and the government. The people of Kerala have shown their disdain for the CPM’s justifications of corruption allegations against Pinarayi Vijayan’s family members. Overall, the election results highlight the people’s dissatisfaction with the government and their support for the UDF.
There is no shortage of excuses and accusations even as the ‘quick’ by-elections following the demise of Oommen Chandy come to an end. Ruling party leaders believe that the sympathy wave is behind the Pudupally election results. At the same time, the leaders of the UDF are of the opinion that anti-government sentiment has been stirred up. In this context, the State General Secretary of the Youth Congress, Abin Varki, gave an exclusive interview to Kodiyat Manorama Online.
∙ Minister VN Vasavan and Left Front candidate Jake C. said that announcing elections in Puthupally within days of Oommen Chandy’s death was part of the Congress-BJP pact. Thomas also claimed.
Shamsul Haq, CPM MLA from Boxanagar constituency in Tripura, died a day after Oommen Chandy’s death. The by-election there was held on the same day as the Pudupally by-election. So, was the by-election in Boxanagar constituency announced so soon as per the agreement between CPM and BJP? The people of Puthupally gave the UDF a record majority. These allegations are part of the CPM’s attempt to gain some weight after suffering a heavy loss. The people of Kerala are well aware of the relationship between CPM and BJP. People of Kerala know SNC Lavlin case against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been adjourned 34 times, Central Government’s slowness in many corruption allegations related to Chief Minister’s office and finally Income Tax Dispute Resolution Board report on the Prime Minister’s daughter Veena. and the Central Government’s silence about it is all because of the CPM-BJP pact.
∙ The LDF’s response is that the wave of sympathy is reflected in the result of the Pudupally by-election.
Condolences Ton Jake C. During the first days of the campaign, including Minister VN Vasavan said he was in favor of Thomas. Later, CPM Chandy resorted to personal insults against Oommen Chandy’s family members including Oommen and Achu Oommen. CPM’s later view was that the discussion was related to the development of Pudupally. They were repeating it until last night. People evaluated the work done in Oommen Chandy constituency in the last 53 years including development. CPM state secretary MV said that the election result will also be evaluated by the government. Govindan announced. The people of Puthupalli voted on the basis of all this.
UDF candidate Chandy Oommen shares joy with activists. (Photo: John M. Chandy ∙ Manorama Online)
The by-elections during Onam gave the UDF some advantages. It is very clear that not a single person who went shopping during Onam voted for the CPM. Because they have experienced price increases firsthand. Last Onam, the government gave kits to more than 87 lakh people, this time it has decided to give free Onkits to only 6.07 lakh people. It could not be given completely. People are well aware of the Prime Minister and the CPM that they cannot say a single word about the allegations of corruption. ,
It is very clear that the country has ruled against the attempt to insult Pudupally. Throughout the campaign, the CPM said that the situation of 1960 still existed in Puthupally. The result of this election is that the CPM, which was hunting Oommen Chandy while he was still alive, started hunting him even when he was in his grave. Their present excuses are just excuses to hide the effect of defeat.
∙ About the dream majority given by Puthupally?
The UDF had earlier declared that there would be a dream majority in the Pudupally by-election. Such confidence was expressed on the basis of the firm conviction that there was a political situation for her. During the campaign, it was clear that there was overwhelming popular sentiment against the government, especially Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The huge lead the UDF had everywhere the Prime Minister campaigned is proof of this. In the election, the UDF managed to get the lead in all but one booth. Even in panchayats lost to UDF last time, it managed to make great progress. The CPM leaders are stunned by the election results.
Mariamma Oommen, Oommen Chandy’s wife, shares her happiness while counting the votes in the Pudupally by-election. (Photo: John M. Chandy ∙ Manorama Online)
∙ LDF claims that UDF got BJP votes.
In 2021, Jake C. Thomas said he got 54,328 votes. This time there were 42,425 votes. This time the CPM got at least 11,903 votes. BJP got 11,694 votes in 2021. This time it got 6558 votes. This time the BJP got at least 5,136 votes. These figures prove that the votes for CPM and BJP have decreased. When the CPM says that the UDF got 5,136 votes from the BJP, it should also be ready to say where the CPM’s 11,903 votes went. Do you think the CPM workers voted for the Congress on purpose? The group fights and disputes in the CPM are no secret. Are CPM leaders claiming that CPM voters voted for UDF because of sectarianism in CPM?
UDF candidate Chandy Oommen with activists. (Photo: John M. Chandy ∙ Manorama Online)
We are sure of one thing. All the good members of CPM have voted for UDF this time. Because they had a lot of resentment towards Pinarayi Vijayan, hatred towards this regime…all these things went in favor of UDF. All the true members of the CPM have great protest and anger towards the policies of CPM and Pinarayi Vijayan, who restricted communism in name only and became a bourgeois party in policies. Undoubtedly, it turned out to be a vote in favor of the UDF. If we look at the figures and the current political situation, the claims of the CPM are dismissed by the masses.
∙ Election results prove that there has been no significant change in the CPM center in Pudupally, says MV. Govindan said.
Puthupalli is the constituency where the CPM got 54,328 votes in the assembly elections in 2021. Also six panchayats are ruled by CPM. A constituency in Kottayam district where CPM has an organizational structure. According to history, when CPM is in power, they get dominance in by-elections. The CPM leaders had claimed that they would get a majority of 20,000 votes in Pudupally. Not only did they not get the majority of the 20,000 votes expected from the CPM, the UDF got a record majority of 37,719 votes.
CPM leaders now claim that 54,328 votes were obtained in 2021 along with the additional votes received as part of the LDF wave. If so, don’t the CPM leaders themselves admit that the 11,903 voters who voted for them in 2021 have now abandoned them in the anti-government wave? Do they not fully admit that the verdict against the Pinarayi Vijayan government has now been written? If they lose the vote they got in favor of the Pinarayi Vijayan government in 2021, is it not a vote against the government? It is clear that the foundation of CPM has been shaken. The vote count shows that the true members of the CPM voted against this party and against the current government.
∙ Jake C. Thomas said there was no UDF political victory in Puthupally.
Oommen Chandy’s excellence as a candidate, the memory of Oommen Chandy’s work for the people of Puthupally for 53 years and the feeling of people against the government came together when the UDF got such a large majority. There has been tremendous strain on the traditional and unconventional votes of the CPM. It goes without saying that the foundation of the CPM has been shaken, the cornerstone itself has been shaken.
∙ Some CPM workers joked that the battle between Sari Visa and Fighter Visa is going on in Pudupally.
The CPM says the fighter visa means destroying the college, being accused in the case of attempted murder and causing student conflict in the country. The election results prove that the people despise all this. The people of Kerala became convinced when they saw the plight of the CPM leaders who presented a justification for the allegations related to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s family taking Zari visas and becoming justice workers. It is understandable that all of them justify the Prime Minister. But when the CPM leaders went to the trouble of justifying even the daughter and grandson of the Prime Minister, it is clear on the basis of which visa sari.
English summary: Special interview with Youth Congress state general secretary Abin Varkey Kodiyattu on the Puthupally by-election result
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