Is K Muraleedharan’s candidature at Vadakara a secret alliance with BJP? LDF workers though do not wish to endorse the theory publicly, they have been murmuring about a Congress-BJP deal in the Lok Sabha elections.
This is the theory: If K Muraleedharan wins from Vadakara, Vattiyoorkkav by-election will be held soon. It is one of the few constituencies in which BJP managed to reach the second position in the 2016 Assembly elections. With BJP voting for Muraleedharan at Vadakara, Congress will ensure the win of Rajasekharan in the by-election.
Considering the grudge of RSS and BJP towards P Jayarajan, it is not really tough to make the BJP cadres vote for Congress. Also, BJP gained only 8% vote in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in the constituency.
This was a mere conspiracy theory for the LDF workers till Tuesday night when Malayala Manorama’s Engish site OnManorama published an article titled “Analysis | Murali’s candidature from Vadakara smacks of a secret Congress-BJP deal.”
The article quotes top Congress leaders to emphasise that the party will agree to such agreement “to save the moment.” It also says that BJP leaders said they cannot confirm the existence of any such agreement.
In 2016, pointing out the votes polled for the UDF candidate in Nemom Assembly constituency, CPIM workers had alleged a secret pact with BJP to ensure the win of O Rajagopal. UDF candidate V Surendran Pillai got only 13,860 votes in the constituency in which a decade ago Congress’ N Sakthan won with a margin of 10,749 votes.
Congress leaders also told Manorama that CPIM will not allow Rajasekharan to win in the by-election if such a situation arises.
“Even if the Congress agrees to help, we are sure the CPM will not allow Kummanam to win an Assembly seat,” a leader said. The article claims that CPIM cadres voted for Muraleedharan to ensure the defeat of Rajasekharan in 2016.
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