Kerala people 'fed up' with LDF govt, will vote it out: Venugopal

Congress' K.C. Venugopal attacked Kerala's LDF government, stating people are 'fed up' and will vote it out in the upcoming polls. He said the Congress party is united and confident of victory, declaring 'We are going to win Kerala.'

Congress Confident of Ousting LDF Government

Congress MP and party general secretary K.C. Venugopal on Sunday mounted a sharp attack on the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, asserting that people of the state are "fed up" with the Pinarayi Vijayan-led administration and are determined to vote it out in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Speaking in Wayanad after a series of meetings with senior Congress leaders, Venugopal said the party had held extensive discussions over the past two days and was moving forward in unity and with renewed confidence. "On one hand, the CPM is talking about bringing the government back to power, but the people's minds are clear that they want to remove this government. Everyone is moving forward together with great enthusiasm and vision. We are going to win Kerala," he told the media.

Probe Against Opposition Leader Slammed as 'Political Gimmick'

Venugopal's remarks come amid heightened political activity in the state as parties step up preparations for the Assembly polls. Earlier on Sunday, the Congress leader had strongly rejected the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau's (VACB) recommendation for a CBI probe against Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, calling it a "political gimmick" by the CPI(M) ahead of the elections. "This is clearly an election-time move. No one can save the CPM government in the upcoming elections. They also know that," Venugopal told reporters, alleging that the ruling party was misusing institutions to target opposition leaders.

Details of the Allegations

The VACB has recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into allegations that Satheesan received illegal foreign funds for the 'Punarjani' housing project, which was launched to rehabilitate families who lost their homes during the devastating 2018 Kerala floods in North Paravur constituency. The recommendation cites alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and also raises questions over Satheesan's foreign travel, reportedly undertaken without the Assembly Speaker's permission.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President Sunny Joseph echoed Venugopal's criticism, describing the vigilance action as a "futile" attempt by the state government. He maintained that the authorities had found no evidence against Satheesan despite repeated scrutiny.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)