Huge public participation in INDIA bloc rally, a warning to BJP: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

In a show of strength by the Opposition, top leaders of the INDIA bloc exhorted people to defeat the BJP to save democracy and the Constitution.

ByPTI

Published Apr 01, 2024 | 1:15 PMUpdatedApr 01, 2024 | 1:15 PM

Pinarayi Vijayan said between 2014 and 2021, 393 Congress members left the party, of whom 173 were MPs or MLAs and more than a hundred were senior leaders. (X)

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday, 1 April, said the huge participation of people in the INDIA bloc rally held in New Delhi a day ago was a strong warning for the BJP.

Addressing the media in Kozhikode, Vijayan also attacked the Congress party and said it was the steps taken by the grand old party, which led the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe the Delhi liquor excise policy case.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested recently by the ED in the liquor policy case. AAP is part of the INDIA Alliance.

“The huge participation of people in the INDIA bloc rally held in Delhi on Sunday gives a strong warning for the BJP,” Vijayan said.

Also Read: Kerala Bishop urges faithful to vote for candidates who can protect secularism

A lesson for Congress too

A day after 18 anti-BJP parties came together in New Delhi to protest against the arrest of Kejriwal, he said that the Congress should also learn a lesson from the rally.

The grand old party should introspect on their stand when it comes to attacking non-Congress parties across the country, he said.

“Steps taken by Congress against the AAP government paved the way for an ED probe into Delhi liquor excise policy case. When Manish Sisodia was arrested, the Congress clamoured for the arrest of Kejriwal,” Vijayan said.

He alleged that it was the Congress which lodged a complaint seeking investigation into the Delhi liquor excise policy case.

Vijayan, however, welcomed the Congress for participating in the rally on Sunday against the BJP-led union government’s alleged move targeting the opposition leaders across the country.

Top leaders of the INDIA bloc on Sunday exhorted the people to defeat the BJP to save democracy and the Constitution and alleged that the opposition has been deprived of a level playing field in the Lok Sabha elections due to the government’s “dictatorial” actions.

Coming together at the ‘Loktantra Bachao’ (Save Democracy) rally at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital, the first such show of strength by the opposition after the announcement of Lok Sabha polls, the leaders of 18 major parties slammed the arrest of Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and gave a fervent call to the alliance partners to unite in national interest.

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