Congress moves Election Commission against Pinarayi Vijayan's Ayyappa remark

Congress in Kerala has moved the Election Commission against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleging an attempt to influence voters by triggering religious sentiments during the polling for the state Assembly election on Tuesday.

After casting his vote in Kannur, Vijayan told reporters that the Sabarimala Ayyappa and the entire pantheon of gods were with the LDF as the LDF government ensured the welfare of all sections of the society.

Kannur district Congress committee president Satheesan Pacheni has moved the Election Commission against this remark. He alleged that Vijayan tried to exploit communal and religious sentiments by making such a statement on the polling day.

Vijayan's statement was in reaction to a statement of G Sukumaran Nair, general secretary of the Nair Service Society, a forum of the prominent Hindu Nair community, that protests against the LDF government over the Sabarimala women entry issue still persisted and he felt that the people were looking forward to a change in governance in Kerala.

Kerala Law Minister and CPM leader A K Balan had moved the Election Commission against Nair for the statement on the polling day.