THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has responded to allegations made by R Balashankar, an RSS ideologue and former editor of 'Organiser'. According to the CM, opponents, who are becoming worried about the LDF's increasing popularity, are trying to divert the discussions by artificially creating news. He alleged that the Congress and the BJP cooperated with each other in Nemom and that the Congress-BJP collusion had been going on in Kerala for some time.

Balashankar had claimed that he was denied a seat in Chengannur because of a deal between the CPM and the BJP. "There is a collusion between the BJP and the Congress in Kerala. UDF can at least come close to the LDF only by regaining its lost votes. The LDF candidate is the strongest in Nemom. The BJP has made Indian democracy a commodity. The Congress has reduced itself to a commodity that can be bought by the BJP," the CM said.

"How can the anti-CAA stance of the Congress be trusted. Not all states ruled by Congress have passed a resolution against the CAA. Congress is taking communal forms. They are trying to reconcile with communal symbols. It remains to be seen whether they fielded a strong candidate in Nemom to put up a fight or to help the BJP. It was the Congress, which gave its own vote to the BJP, thereby helping the BJP to win the election in Nemom. The fight against communalism is not an electioneering tactic for the LDF. The Left will not allow secular Kerala to be destroyed," he added.