CPI(M) central committee member and former State Minister A.K. Balan has endorsed the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Independent candidate P. Sarin’s allegation that United Democratic Front’s (UDF) Shafi Parambil had got a section of LDF votes in the Assembly election held in 2021.
Mr. Balan reiterated here on Wednesday (October 23,2024) that Dr. Sarin, who was with the Congress until last week, had said nothing wrong. Mr. Balan said that the LDF used to get a section of neutral votes. “It was those votes that went to the UDF in 2021,” he said.
Those voters never wanted the BJP to win from Palakkad, and they voted for the Congress, he said, endorsing the allegation made by Dr. Sarin after he quit the Congress.
But Mr. Balan challenged the Congress to explain how its 17,483-vote majority in 2016 was reduced to 3,859 votes in 2021. “Congress should answer where those votes went,” he said.
The CPI(M) leader said that the BJP was not even in the third position in the ongoing byelection in Palakkad. “If there is somebody else other than the LDF and the UDF, then they will reach the third position, and not the BJP,” he said. “The fight in Palakkad is between the LDF and the UDF.”
Published - October 23, 2024 08:59 pm IST
