Kerala CM hits out at Congress after it moves a vote of no confidence

He added that the party is facing a 'pathetic situation'

Congress was in a 'pathetic' situation and most of its leaders were waiting for a call to join the BJP, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday, taking a jibe at the party during the debate in the state assembly on a no-confidence motion moved by it against his government.

The Congress was not able to elect its leader while seniors were describing each other as "BJP agents", he said and claimed most of the leaders were waiting for a call from the BJP to joinit. He was referring to the leadership issue faced by the national party with a section demanding collective leadership and another reposing faith in the Gandhi family.

"While they have moved a no-confidence motion here, another no-trust motion is ensuing in Delhi. There, their leaders are describing each other as BJP agents. Senior leader Kapil Sibal had to openly say he was not one. However, later he withdrew the statement," Vijayan said.

Earlier in the day, Sibal withdrew his tweet in which he hit out at Rahul Gandhi, and said the former party chief had informed him personally that he had never made the "colluding with the BJP" remark during the Congress Working Committee meeting. Vijayan also said the Congress had said in the 1980s that the Left front will not come in power in Kerala ever again. But, it "came to power four times after that."

"Congress party does not have the ability to select a leader on its own. The senior leaders have shot off a letter seeking a leadership change. Sonia Gandhi agreed to resign following this. Rahul Gandhi has already refused to take charge. Have they ever taken a stand together as a political party?" he asked. "Even on the Ayodhya issue, they had double standards. Some supported while some opposed," Vijayan said.

The Marxist veteran said the Congress was facing a "pathetic situation" and yet bringing a no-confidence motion against the Left front government. "Most of the Congress leaders are waiting for the BJP to call them. They are ready to join the saffron party anytime. Just waiting for a phone call," Vijayan said. Congress member V D Satheeshan moved the no-trust motion, the first against the four-year old LDF government, levelling a slew of allegations with specific reference to the gold smuggling case in which Vijayan's former principal secretary M Sivasankar has come under a cloud.