Pinarayi Vijayan hits out at Rahul Gandhi, says ‘ignoring farmers' protest in Delhi’

Condemning Rahul Gandhi's meetings with farmers and fishermen in Kerala, CM Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, alleged that the ex-Congress chief has ignored the farmers' protest in Delhi. Vijayan's party - CPI(M) has also termed Rahul Gandhi 'a recruitment agent of the BJP'. With both Bengal and Kerala set to go to polls in April-May this year, Congress is caught in a dilemma regarding its alliance with the Left parties - CPI, CPI (M) and CPI (ML). 

Rahul Gandhi trains guns on Left ahead of Kerala polls; claims 'BJP going slow on cases'

Left slams Rahul Gandhi's Kerala 'rallies'

Rahul Gandhi unmoved by 'Caro Raul' jibes; fishes in Kerala & insists there's no ministry

Rahul Gandhi slams Left

On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi hinted at a secret pact between the Centre and the state government while talking on the slew of cases against Left leaders. Alleging that the ruling alliance in the state was routinely killing Congress workers, Gandhi asserted that no one was scared of this. Moreover, he promised that the UDF will come up with a "people's manifesto" ahead of the state polls.

Gandhi remarked, "Why is it that the cases that are there against the Left Front government, against a person who works in the Chief Minister's Office, progressing so slowly? Why is it taking so long? Why is the CBI, ED and other institutions not attacking the Left government? I am a bit confused about this. Because I know that if you attack BJP, BJP attacks you 24 hours a day. There is only one reason that the BJP is going slow on these cases." 

Rahul & Priyanka Gandhi to miss Cong-Left Bengal rally to avoid 'wrong signals' in Kerala

Congress-Left alliance

Recently, the Congress-Left alliance have had seat-sharing talks for all 294 seats in Bengal Assembly, but refused to share the formula agreed upon. As of January 28, the parties decided that among the total 193 seats, the Left will fight in 101, while Congress will contest in 92 seats. The remaining 101 seats will be decided later, said Congress. Moreover, in a bid to not anger its voters in Kerala,  sources reported that ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Vadra have decided to skip the joint Left-Congress rally in Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground. While Congress has allied with the Left in its bid to end Mamata Banerjee's 10-year term and fight an emerging BJP in Bengal, Congress is the prime opponent against the Left government in Kerala.

'Fisherman the farmer of the sea': Rahul Gandhi wants Dept of Fisheries; it already exists

In Kerala, the Congress-led UDF has kicked off its 'Aishwarya Kerala Yatra' vowing to 'protect Ayyappa devotees' rights', ahead of the Kerala polls. Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala vowed to bring legislation to protect the rights of the Ayyappa devotees when the UDF is voted to power. Rahul Gandhi has also visited the state multiple times, campaigning for UDF. Congress has repeatedly called for CM Pinarayi Vijayan's resignation over a host of issues - Gold smuggling probe, Sandalwood probe, COVID handling, Sabarimala issue, Sprinklr row, Police social media order etc. Recently, in the local body polls, LDF maintained its hold winning a majority of Gram Panchayats, Block Panchayats, District Panchayats while UDF won more municipalities and corporations.