A day after the CPI-M took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi stating that he is spending 18 days in Kerala and just two days in Uttar Pradesh, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh retaliated by claiming that the left party is the ‘A’ team of BJP in the land of Mundu Modi.
However, CPI-M Kerala secretary said on Tuesday that his party is not against the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ or any democratic process associated with it. Speaking to media persons in Thiruvananthapuram, MV Govindan said the CPI-M has no reason to oppose the yatra, but will respond to any unfair criticism or unsavoury remarks against it.
“CPI-M is not against the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ or any democratic process associated with it. However, if the party, Left Democratic Front (LDF), or the Left as a whole is criticised unfairly or any inappropriate remarks are made against it, then we will respond accordingly. That is our stand,” MV Govindan said.
Earlier in the day, former state finance minister and senior CPI-M leader Thomas Issac in a tweet criticised Congress leader Jairam Ramesh for his ‘Mundu Modi’ remark, which was an apparent jibe at Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Calling it an “unprovoked insult” on the Kerala CM, Isaac too asked why the Congress is spending 18 days in Kerala by avoiding Gujarat and UP and whom it was trying to unite with such a strategy.
“Dear Rameshji, I was amazed at your response. Why an unprovoked insult to Kerala CM? Not an auspicious start to a Jodo Yatra. And the question still remains unanswered. Whom are you trying to unite by touring Kerala for 18 days while avoiding Gujarat and UP? Anyway, happy journey,” Isaac tweeted
The CPI-M on Monday ridiculed Rahul’s yatra in a tweet, “Bharat Jodo or Seat Jodo? 18 days in Kerala, 2 days in UP. Strange way to fight BJP-RSS.”
Jairam Ramesh immediately tweeted, “Do your homework better on how and why yatra was planned the way it is. And silly criticism from a party that is the A team of BJP in the land of Mundu Modi”.
Meanwhile, the Kerala stretch of the Bharat Jodo Yatra entered the third day on Tuesday with a large number of people joining it on the streets. When the yatra commenced around 7.15 am on Tuesday from Kaniyapuram near Kazhakootam in Thiruvananthapuram, hundreds of people lined up on the roadsides ignoring rains in the city, to greet Gandhi and the other padayatris.