'Will not compete with a minister of higher quality than me,' says VD Satheesan: Opposition leader's stand is part of BJP deal, Sivankutty responds

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader VD Satheesan has responded to Minister V Sivankutty. Satheesan stated that he does not want to compete with Sivankutty, who is more cultured and has higher standards than he does, and that the AKG Centre and the Minister's office should not support him in this manner through negative campaigns.

"I am a person of lower standards than V Sivankutty. Although this is a negative, I am the only one who is seen. He is trying to trap me for bad publicity. I will not fall for any of that. He is a big man. He said that I have less culture and standards. He has more standards and culture than I do. One person from the AKG centre and the staff at the minister's official residence are conducting extensive personal campaigns. I currently have the highest presence on social media. 20 cards are coming from the AKG center and ten cards are coming from the minister. I am not here to argue or fight. There are political narratives that are piercing the LDF's core. All this is to divert attention from that issue," Satheesan said.

Minister V. Sivankutty replied that Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan's statement that he would not contest in Nemom constituency was part of a political bargain made with the BJP. "Help BJP in Nemom, ensure BJP votes for Congress in Paravur in return. This is the essence of the 'deal'. When development and secularism are discussed, Congress's appeasement of BJP will definitely be tried in public," Sivankutty wrote on Facebook. V. Sivankutty had challenged the opposition leader to contest in Nemom.