Kerala Assembly elections 2026: allegations of Congress-BJP nexus absurd, says Chennithala

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has described the allegations of a nexus between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the ongoing election as absurd. 

“It’s absurd because Narendra Modi wants a Congress-mukt Bharat and Pinarayi Vijayan wants the continuance of his government. Both have a common aim,” Mr. Chennithala, permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate from Haripad, said in an interview with The Hindu.  

Mr. Chennithala also alleged that the Communist Party of India [CPI(M)] and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had colluded in 2021 as well, which resulted in the re-election of the Left front government. He claimed that allegations against the Congress were being made to cover up this collusion. He added that the Congress’s arch-rival is the BJP nationally, while in Kerala its main rival is the CPI(M). 

The Congress held widespread consultations before promising to launch a ministry for the elderly, he said. “We are talking about the silver economy, as the challenge of the State’s rapidly ageing population can be converted into opportunities. Apart from this, the five guarantees offered by the party in other States will also be implemented in Kerala,” Mr. Chennithala added. 

He dismissed criticism of the Oommen Chandy government in 2011 regarding overdue welfare pensions and said the UDF had a plan to raise the welfare pension to ₹3,000 if voted to power. 

Sabarimala remains a major poll issue for the UDF. “The pilgrims are hurt because of the gold theft, and the gold has not been recovered yet. The accused have received bail and the government is protecting them. The CPI(M) has not taken action against the party leaders accused in the case. Moreover, the State government has not changed its stance on the issue of women of all age groups entering the Sabarimala temple. We will expose them before the people,” Mr. Chennithala said.

He said the State’s health and education sectors, which were the cornerstones of the famed Kerala Model, had degenerated during the last 10 years of LDF rule. He added that the government had done nothing to prevent the exodus of the youth from the State. 

Mr. Chennithala said any decision on who would lead the Cabinet if the UDF came to power would be taken by the Congress high command. 

When asked about the Congress’s unfulfilled promise of constructing houses for the victims of the Wayanad landslides, he said the State government had promised land for the same, but it was not provided. “We have now purchased land and the foundation was laid by Rahul Gandhi. We are in the process of constructing the houses; it will be done on time,” he said. 

Mr. Chennithala alleged a scam in the government’s plan to award the contract for the purchase of a ‘uniform software’ for primary agriculture cooperative credit society branches from the Kerala Dinesh Beedi Workers’ Central Cooperative Society Ltd. He said the Kerala High Court had halted it till May.