Kerala: SDPI support puts Congress in a spot; LDF, BJP allege extremist links

KOZHIKODE: The "unconditional" support offered by Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) for UDF in Lok Sabha in state has put the Congress party in a spot, with both BJP and LDF targeting it over taking support from extremist groups.
Congress is treading cautiously on the issue, sensing that BJP could highlight it at the national level, especially since Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is contesting in Wayanad.Also, the party doesn't want the announcement of support of SDPI, which is widely viewed as the political arm of PFI, to alienate Hindu and Christian votes.
In the 2019 parliament elections, SDPI contested in 10 seats and won 80,111 votes. It had secured 19,106 votes in Malappuram and 18,124 votes in Ponnani, followed by 8,142 votes in Kannur, 5,749 votes in Palakkad and 5,544 votes in Vadakara constituencies despite a huge minority consolidation in favour of UDF. Its candidates had also won in 103 local body wards/divisions in 2020.
The significance of SDPI announcement rests on the party securing over 10,000 votes in 14 parliament constituencies in state in the 2014 election, securing a total of 2.7 lakh votes in state. It got 47,853 votes in Malappuram, 26,640 in Ponnani, 19,170 in Kannur and 15,058 in Vadakara. UDF is not outrightly rejecting the SDPI support as these votes could matter if there is a close fight.
BJP wasted no time in taking up the issue, with party state president and NDA candidate in Wayanad K Surendran terming it as PFI support and adding that the move was dangerous. On Tuesday, he said PFI had created riots in state besides murdering Hindus and Christians. “UDF is taking support from religious terror groups, including in Rahul Gandhi’s constituency Wayanad.
Rahul should explain his stand on the issue,” he said, while alleging that Rahul and other party leaders were joining hands even with anti-nationals to win the election. Meanwhile, CPM state secretary MV Govindan said that UDF was taking in all retrograde forces and SDPI had also joined the KoLe-Be alliance. “The people of Kerala, especially of Vadakara, will respond to this in the election,” he said. Opposition leader V D Satheesan, meanwhile, said UDF leaders had not held any discussion with SDPI or had sought its support.
“Many people and organisations are extending us their support. People are voting as individuals as per their wish and let people vote as they wish,” he said in Pathanamthitta, adding that Congress would not have any link with parties having an extremist stand. Besides noting that SDPI leaders had said the Congress alone could take on BJP in the country, he alleged that the SDPI was with CPM in the previous assembly polls. He also referred to CPM ‘tieups’ with SDPI in Pathanamthitta municipality and Erattupetta. KPCC acting president M M Hassan and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala have also denied any truck with SDPI.
SDPI state president Ashraf Moulavi had, on Monday, said the party would not field candidates in this election as it wanted to support Congress that is leading INDIA bloc to prevent BJP from coming to power again. SDPI is contesting in over 15 constituencies across the country, including in Dindigul where the party in alliance with AIADMK is pitted against a CPM candidate. (With inputs from Kochi & Pathanamthitta)