Pinarayi Vijayan, A Vijayaraghavan playing communal card: Ramesh Chennithala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday accused CPM’s acting state secretary A Vijayaraghavan as a man who opened his mouth only to flare up communalism.
In response to Vijayaraghavan’s allegation that the discussion held between Congress and IUML leaders at Panakkad on Wednesday was aimed at fuelling communalism, Chennithala claimed that chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Vijayaraghavan were trying to promote communalism in Kerala.
"Muslim League is the second-largest constituent in UDF. Hence, there was nothing unusual when Oommen Chandy and I visited Panakkad Hyderali Thangal. But, Vijayan and Vijayaraghavan are trying to portray such discussions as communal. Only those with a narrow mind can attribute communalism when parties of the same front hold discussion," Chennithala told reporters.
The opposition leader also asked CPM why the party was associating with Muslim League in Tamil Nadu if they found IUML as a communal party. In TN, Congress, CPM and CPI are in the same front as that of Muslim League. "CPM is a political party which had shared power with Muslim League," he added.
When asked about Chennithala’s criticism, Vijayan said he didn’t think Vijayaraghavan had made such a statement. "What Vijayaraghavan referred to was UDF’s recent actions that fuel fundamentalism. UDF is largely compromising with communalism and fundamentalism," said Vijayan.
UDF views Vijayaraghavan’s statement as a continuation of LDF’s local body poll strategy. By triggering a campaign about UDF’s tactical alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, LDF had tried to mobilise Hindu votes during local body poll campaign. UDF leaders view the sharp criticism against League, levelled on Wednesday by Vijayaraghavan, as a continuation of CPM’s campaign that League was trying to take control of UDF.
"Congress and UDF have always tried to uphold secularism. CPM should refrain from its efforts to add fuel to the fire of communal hatred," said Chennithala.