Leader of the Opposition (LoP) V.D. Satheesan criticized the CPI(M) for allegedly planning communal remarks by State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, implicating Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the process. Satheesan highlighted a coordinated effort starting from the Chief Minister’s PR agency briefing to media statements and subsequent disassociation. The Opposition leader condemned Cherian’s caste-based electoral comments as a violation of constitutional principles and ministerial duties.
The Opposition plans to protest inside and outside the Assembly against the CPI(M)’s alleged normalization of divisive rhetoric through third parties. Satheesan defended the UDF’s broad-based appeal across communities, dismissing claims of minority vote dependency. He cautioned against the ruling party’s divisive strategies, likening them to those of the Sangh Parivar and warned of potential social repercussions in Kerala.
Satheesan emphasized the UDF’s commitment to secularism and predicted the rejection of the CPI(M)’s communal narrative in the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections. He underscored the importance of preserving secular values for Kerala’s future, asserting that the electorate would uphold this principle decisively.
