Thaindian News

Thiruvananthapuram, April 10 (IANS) The Congress party Sunday alleged that there is a tacit understanding between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) for next week’s Kerala assembly polls.

“Reports that the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) withdrew its candidate in Malampuzha where Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan is contesting clearly shows there is a tacit understanding between the BJP and the CPI-M,” Congress leader Oommen Chandy told reporters here Sunday.

The JD-U is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

“We had spoken about the secret pact last month itself and now the picture is quite clear,” said Chandy.

P.K. Majid of the JD-U is the candidate in Malampuzha other than Congress’s Lathika Subhash who are pitted against Achuthanandan in the April 13 polls.

The confusion over the withdrawal came after JD-U chief Sharad Yadav told reporters in Delhi Sunday that it was not proper for their party candidate to be fielded against Achuthanandan.

However, Yadav later clarified that the confusion was sorted out.

“I spoke to Sushama Swaraj about this and the issue has been sorted out. Our candidate will be there to contest the polls,” Yadav said in Delhi.

Ahead of every election in the state, the BJP is usually accused by both the Congress and the CPI-M of selling its votes.

The state BJP leaders have said this time that “it’s a thing of the past.”

The BJP, which has never won a seat in Kerala so far, appears to be more confident this time. The party candidates are involved in tough three-way contests in four constituencies - two in Thiruvananthapuram district and two in Kasargod.