Left, BJP slam Congress for having no flags in Rahul Gandhi's Wayanad roadshow
The Kerala chief minister alleged the grand old party was forgetting itself in front of the Sangh Parivar and was scared to show its own flag
A day after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi kicked off his poll campaign for Wayanad Lok Sabha seat by holding a roadshow, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday (April 4) alleged that the grand old party did not show it’s and ally IUML's flags during the event as it was "scared of BJP".
The CM also hit out at the Congress MP alleging that Rahul “lacked the courage” to publicly display his own party's flag. Vijayan contended the stand taken by the Congress indicates it wants the votes of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) but it is not acknowledging the flag important to the IUML. “The Congress has fallen to a level where it is afraid of communal forces,” he claimed during a press conference at Thiruvananthapuram.
Vijayan further alleged the grand old party was forgetting itself in front of the Sangh Parivar and was scared to show its own flag and “which is not expected from a party going to the Lok Sabha as the representatives of the people”.
‘No clarity of thought’
“They (Congress) need clarity of thought and a firm stand as the people of Kerala will need representatives who can fight on national issues and stand with the public. The LDF is able to do both and that is why there is a popular sentiment in its favour,” he contended.
Rahul Gandhi's roadshow in Wayanad on Wednesday was visibly different from that in 2019 in the constituency when green flags of ally IUML outnumbered the Congress’ in the crowd. This time, both the flags were conspicuous by their absence.
Vijayan contended the flags were absent because during the Lok Sabha polls in 2019, the BJP had taken a dig at Congress over IUML flags, saying it was difficult to discern whether it was India or Pakistan.
The Marxist veteran said the Congress appears to have forgotten the sacrifices behind their flag and seemed to be acceding to the Sangh Parivar wish to relinquish their tri-coloured flag. He alleged that the Congress was choosing to disregard the history behind their flag during such a crucial election in fear of the BJP.
"This is not a mere election strategy. The Congress and League can decide whether they want their own flag or not, but they are risking their own existence and people will see that," Vijayan said.
Smriti hits out at Rahul
Meanwhile, Union Minister Smriti Irani also lashed out at Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of being “ashamed” of party ally IUML as its flag was not shown during his roadshow.
The Union minister, who had defeated Rahul in Amethi in the 2019 general elections, said if he was ashamed of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), he should reject their support. She also said she was shocked that he had allegedly accepted support of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).
"By accepting their support, he (Gandhi) has also violated the oath to the Constitution taken during the filing of the nomination," she said while speaking to reporters after the filing of BJP state chief K Surendran's nomination from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat.
Irani also questioned as to who the prime ministerial candidate of INDIA bloc was and whether Rahul was an acceptable choice for that position. She also claimed the INDIA bloc was "shattered" as allies -- Congress and the Left -- within the alliance were at battle with each other in the Wayanad LS constituency as well as the state as a whole.
(With agency inputs)
