THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the statement of Deve Gowda is untrue and totally absurd. The chief minister said that he is lying to find justification for his own political volte face.

Janata Dal S is a party that has been with the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala for ages. When the national leadership announced a different stand, the state leadership severed ties with them and stood with the LDF in Kerala. The CPM has never tried to comment or interfere in the internal affairs of that party in any way.

Even as chief minister, there was no need to interfere in their internal affairs. That's not our way. None of us is responsible for anyone's revelation. It is propriety and political decency to correct Deve Gowda's absurd statement. The stand taken by JDS Kerala unit is that they are against BJP and not with Deve Gowda. State President Mathew T Thomas and Minister K Krishnankutty have clearly stated that Deve Gowda's statement is wrong.

This is not the first time Deve Gowda joining hands with the BJP. Everyone will remember the situation when JDS joined BJP in 2006. Gowda has taken the stand that he even betrayed his own party's ideology by teaming up with the BJP to make his son the chief minister. The Janata Dal leadership and ranks in Kerala, led by national leader Surendra Mohan, left the JDS protesting Deve Gowda's political stance.

The Congress, which responded to Deve Gowda's statement for political gain, has a tradition of helping the BJP in various ways. In Kerala, they share power with the BJP in local bodies. No one has forgotten the story of the Congress and BJP coming together to win film actress Sumalatha in Mandya, Karnataka in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Sumalatha is now with the BJP.

There will be people in the Congress who have made connections with the BJP and benefited from it. The chief minister said they are the ones who have come with statements now.