Kerala Education Minister V Shivankutty predicts LDF will win 110 seats in the upcoming assembly polls. He also accused Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal, of having links with the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case.
LDF Confident of Winning 110 Seats
Kerala Education Minister V Shivankutty on Sunday expressed confidence that the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) will secure a massive victory in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, claiming the alliance would win as many as 110 seats. Speaking to ANI, Shivankutty said, "The LDF will win 110 seats in this election. Our 'jathas' are seeing strong public participation. No one can claim that development hasn't happened; everything we promised has been delivered, even without central assistance. What reason does anyone have not to vote for us? They (Congress) came campaigning with Sabarimala Ayyappan parody songs, and now everything has collapsed for them. They may even need to write a new parody song. Out of the 110 seats we will win, Nemom will also be among them."
Kerala will go for its Legislative Assembly elections, expected to be held in April this year, to elect 140 members of the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Shivankutty Slams Congress Over Sabarimala Gold Theft Case
Further, Shivankutty criticised AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal over the Sabarimala gold theft case, alleging that the Congress is trying to divert public attention as serious questions have emerged about alleged meetings between the prime accused and senior Congress leaders. "As more details emerge about the involvement of Congress leaders in the Sabarimala gold heist case, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal is attempting to distract public attention by making a cheap remark that the Chief Minister has 'lost his sense of time and place'. KC Venugopal need not worry about the Chief Minister's clarity. Instead, he must explain how key Congress leaders were visited by Unnikrishnan Potti, an accused in the gold heist case. Who enabled a prime accused to meet Sonia Gandhi, a person under the highest security cover? Can such meetings happen without the knowledge of the AICC General Secretary?" he said.
Questions Raised Over Accused's Meeting with Sonia Gandhi
"The revelation by UDF Convenor Adoor Prakash that Unnikrishnan Potti met Sonia Gandhi multiple times is extremely serious. Even senior Congress leaders do not get such access; how did an accused in a major theft case get it? The Special Investigation Team will bring out the truth. KC Venugopal's words reflect the panic of someone caught red-handed," he said.
Details of the Sabarimala Gold Theft Case
The Sabarimala gold theft case concerns allegations of the misappropriation of approximately 4.54 kilograms of gold from sacred temple artefacts, including the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames and Dwarapalaka idols. The theft allegedly occurred in 2019 under the pretext of refinishing and re-gold-plating temple structures. The controversy traces its origins to a 1998 donation by industrialist Vijay Mallya, who had gifted 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper for gold plating and cladding work at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. Subsequent inspections and court-monitored inquiries revealed discrepancies between the donated gold and the quantity allegedly used. (ANI)
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