Priyanka Gandhi
Credit: PTI photo
Thiruvananthapuram: While Congress top leader Priyanka Gandhi has joined the campaign in the by-poll to Nilambur assembly seat at Malappuram in Kerala, the CPM is stepping up attacks against the Congress for accepting the support of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind backed political outfit Welfare Party.
A road show by Gandhi at Nilambur on Sunday to campaign for Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath witnessed huge participation from party supporters braving the heavy rains.
Nilambur, which is going to the by-poll on June 19, is part of the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat represented by Priyanka in the Lok Sabha.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the Congress for accepting support of the Welfare Party.
"The Congress is accepting the support of a party backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind which was kept away by all Muslim outfits owing to their communal ideologies. It shows the Congress's desperation," VIjayan said while addressing a campaign meeting for CPM candidate M Swaraj.
Congress leader V D Satheesan reiterated that Vijayan was trying to divert attention from failures of his government. He also said that the CPM had earlier accepted Welfare Party's support.
Priyanka too accused the left front government in Kerala of paying welfare pension dues to the weaker section during election time and thereby politicising it.
She also stressed the need to find effective solution for man-animal conflict to ensure safety of people. The left front government failed to understand the people's needs, she said.