Rahul Gandhi Exposes LDF-BJP 'Hidden Alliance' at Thrissur Rally, Announces 5 Guarantees for Kerala

• · UDF is fighting against LDF-BJP partnership: Rahul
• · Points to BJP’s ‘hidden hand’ helping LDF against UDF
• · Says, LDF partnering with same people who divide India
• · Slams Vijayan’s arrogance in projecting himself as the only leader who can rule Kerala
• · Hits out at the way Modi treats senior BJP leaders

THRISSUR (KERALAM), April 6: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi today said that the Congress-led UDF was fighting against the LDF and BJP partnership in Keralam. He said, “There is a hidden hand of the BJP that is helping the LDF against the UDF”.

Addressing a largely attended public rally here today, Gandhi said Modi was supporting the LDF against the UDF in Keralam because he knows that the LDF, unlike the Congress, cannot pose a threat to him at the national level. He cited two examples to support his claim that the BJP and Modi were helping and supporting the LDF.

First, he pointed out, Modi never mentioned anything about the gold theft involving Left leaders from the Sabarimala temple. Otherwise, he mentions God, religion and temples in every speech but in Keralam, he forgets everything as he does not want to harm the LDF, Gandhi said.

Second, Gandhi added, anyone who opposes Modi is attacked and slapped with cases. Referring to his own experience, he said he is being targeted for fighting the RSS and the BJP and had faced 55 hours of continuous interrogation. “But why are there no such cases or action against Keralam CM or his family?” he asked, substantiating his charge that the LDF and the BJP were colluding against the UDF.

Gandhi reminded people that the Left Front was partnering with the same people who set fire to Manipur. “They are the same people who attacked nurses in Chhattisgarh. They are the same people who divide India along religious lines and spread hatred and violence everywhere”, he pointed out.

Gandhi took a strong exception to the CPM billboards showing a photograph of Keralam CM Pinarayi Vijayan with the tagline “Who else?”. “The Keralam Chief Minister is not a God that he is the only person who can rule Keralam, there are many others as well”, he said, adding that the tagline of “who else?” is an insult to people of Keralam and also to those within the LDF. He said, this reflected the same mindset as that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. “It is the height of arrogance”, he remarked, adding that “this is the kind of arrogance we are fighting against”.

In the same context, Gandhi said that although he has many ideological differences with the BJP and its leaders and he keeps on fighting against them, he does not like the way Prime Minister Modi treats senior BJP leaders. In contrast to the arrogant leadership of the LDF and the BJP, he said, the Congress has a legacy of great and humble leaders like K Karunakaran, Oommen Chandy and AK Antony. “That is the type of leadership we are proposing”, he said.

Referring to the Indo-US trade deal, the senior Congress leader said that Modi had signed away both India’s food and energy security to Donald Trump. He pointed out, according to the deal, India cannot buy oil from other countries without Trump’s permission. Similarly, he added, Modi had also opened the agriculture sector to US farmers, which will endanger our food security.

Gandhi warned that the coming times were going to be tougher as war was going on in the Middle East. He said the war would have a severe impact on India, cautioning that prices of fuels like diesel, petrol and LPG were bound to rise and there will also be fertilizer shortage.

Gandhi also announced five guarantees for the people of Keralam. These include free bus travel for women, Rs 1,000 monthly cash assistance for college and university-going girls, Rs 3,000 old-age pension along with a separate ministry for senior citizens, Rs 25 lakh health insurance for every family and Rs 5 lakh interest-free loans for youth to start their own businesses.

The senior Congress leader had a special praise for Keralam, noting that Saint Thomas first landed here and first mosque in India was built in the state, along with many important temples also. He said, Keralam reflects the historical tradition of unity and harmony in diversity.

Besides, he praised the compassion and warmth of the people of the state.