Kerala Assembly polls 2026: Congress wants to deflect debate from development issues, says Elamaram Kareem

The Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF) are repeatedly talking about an alleged deal between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in the upcoming Assembly polls to deflect attention from a debate over development issues and the government’s achievements, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) national general secretary Elamaram Kareem has said.

He told the media here on Wednesday (April 1, 2026) that CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby has already clarified the party’s position on the issue. Mr. Kareem also dismissed the allegations related to the “deal” between the CPI(M) and the BJP in certain Assembly segments. People with common sense would not believe that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union government could be lenient towards Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Left Democratic Front (LDF), who have been consistently opposed to Sangh Parivar politics.

Mr. Kareem also asked why Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders were scared of criticising the Union government over its stand on the West Asian crisis. “Mr. Gandhi is just repeating the baseless allegations raised by the Congress leaders in the State. He seems to be presenting the Sabarimala gold theft case in a comic manner. Mr. Gandhi should also clarify how the prime accused in the case gained entry to his house,” he said.

Asked if the LDF and the CPI(M) were apprehensive about a possible consolidation of the minorities against them, Mr. Kareem said the Left has always stood with these communities. “There is no reason to think that we will lose their support,” he added.