Politics
Kerala Congress Attacks State Government Over Rape and Murder Case, Opposition Bloc INDIA Clashes Over Alliances
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The cracks within the Opposition bloc INDIA have been exposed once again with the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in Kerala.
The incident has brought regional politics into conflict with the bloc's mission to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The state Congress has launched a fierce attack on the CPM-led Left Democratic Front government in response to this heinous crime.
Both the victim and the accused in this case are migrants, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.
Taking to Twitter, the state Congress's official account accused the Kerala Home department of corruption and called for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to resign.
They argued that the Chief Minister has failed to ensure the safety of children. Meanwhile, State Health Minister Veena George visited the victim's family and assured them that strict action would be taken.
The BJP has used previous instances of infighting within the INDIA bloc to mock them.
For example, the West Bengal Congress criticized the ruling Trinamool Congress over violence during rural polls, while Delhi Congress leaders made statements against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. These divisions within the bloc only serve to weaken their position.
The Left, which governs Kerala, is also grappling with a similar dilemma. During the recent Opposition conclave in Bengaluru, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury made it clear that there would be no alliance with the Trinamool in Bengal.
He stated, "Mamata Banerjee and the CPI(M) will not happen. There will be secular parties alongside the Left and the Congress in Bengal, who will join forces against the BJP and the TMC".
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha and the party's Bengal chief, strongly criticised the Trinamool for the violence that occurred during the panchayat polls, describing the state as experiencing a "reign of terror".
In Delhi, the Congress backed down in its confrontation with AAP and agreed to support the Arvind Kejriwal-led party in its battle against the central government's attempt to control Delhi officers.
However, local leaders like Ajay Maken continue to target the AAP government, raising concerns about whether regional rivalries will affect India's electoral prospects.
BJP leader Amit Malviya mocked the Opposition bloc for their internal rivalries, tweeting, "Delhi Congress had opposed supporting AAP. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is standing up against Mamata Banerjee's oppressive regime in West Bengal. But in both states, the central leadership of the Congress has struck deals with AAP and TMC, without gaining anything in return. The Congress has consistently compromised the interests of its state units and reduced itself to a group of people orbiting around Rahul Gandhi, just to keep him relevant".
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