Deve Gowda Claims Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Greenlit JD(S)-BJP Alliance, Causes Uproar In Kerala

A political controversy has emerged in Kerala after JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda claimed that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had approved his party's alliance with the BJP in Karnataka for mutual benefit, as reported by NDTV.

In response, Kerala Janata Dal (Secular)-JD(S) leader K Krishnankutty strongly refuted Deve Gowda's assertion.

Krishnankutty reiterated his opposition to the national leadership's alignment with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and reaffirmed the state unit's commitment to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) alliance.

During a meeting with Deve Gowda, Kerala JD(S) state president Mathew T Thomas, MLA, and Krishnankutty expressed their strong objections to aligning with the BJP.

As a minister in the LDF government in Kerala, Krishnankutty emphasised the state party unit's dedication to supporting the Left party in Kerala, as previously decided.

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala pointed to Krishnankutty's continued presence in the cabinet as evidence of this alleged affiliation.

The state leadership of the CPI(M) has not yet issued an official response to the matter.

Kerala's JD(S) unit had previously rejected the central leadership's choice to align with the BJP and expressed strong support for the LDF in the state.

According to Deve Gowda, state JD(S) units, including Kerala, had agreed to form an alliance with the BJP. However, Krishnankutty and others have denied this, emphasising their loyalty to the LDF in Kerala.