The CPI-M has criticised the Congress for not inviting Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to Siddaramaiah’s swearing-in ceremony as Karnataka Chief Minister on 20 May.
Saturday’s ceremony in Bengaluru will have the presence of at least nine chief ministers, including MK Stalin of Tamil Nadu and Nitish Kumar of Bihar. But Pinarayi Vijayan and Delhi Chief Minister Aravind Kejriwal were not invited for the ceremony.
Three leaders from non-Congress parties in Kerala have been invited to the swearing-in ceremony of the Congress chief minister and other ministers in Karnataka. While CPI-M leader and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was left out, three people from non-Congress parties were invited. LDF’s Kerala Congress Mani wing leader Jose K Mani, Indian Union Muslim League president Sadikhali Thangal and RSP leader NK Premachandran were invited.
CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI General Secretary A Raja have also been invited.
Senior CPI-M leader and former minister AK Balan called the act of not inviting the Kerala chief minister political indecency. He said some leaders of Congress from Kerala are behind it. They don’t want unity of the Opposition against the BJP, he said.
LDF Convenor E P Jayarajan said Congress’ action proved that it cannot carry out the mission of bringing together the secular democratic forces of the country against the BJP’s fascist policies.
Speaking to media persons in Kannur, Jayarajan asked, “What anti-BJP stand is the Congress party is having now in the country.”