Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Bharatiya Janata Party president in Kerala, issued a stern warning to the CPI(M) on Saturday, accusing the ruling party of "misusing" state resources to target BJP supporters. Speaking after a visit to the home of a party worker who was reportedly assaulted by the police, Chandrasekhar suggested that the CPI(M) is lashing out in frustration as it anticipates a loss in the upcoming Assembly elections.
He said that certain police officers were being used as tools to intimidate his colleagues, a tactic he insisted would not be tolerated. "Using the machinery of the state to attack our workers while in power is a grave error by the CPI(M)," he remarked. "We are the largest party in India, and we will not stand by while our people are targeted. This has to stop, and we will ensure it does through legal channels."
Chandrasekhar also touched upon the legal cases currently being filed against BJP leaders, such as R Sreelekha, predicting that this "politics of intimidation" would vanish following the change in government after May 4. He took a particularly sharp jab at the CPI(M)’s ideological roots during a press briefing later that evening, reminding them of the democratic framework of the country.
"There is a democratic system here," he told reporters. "This is India, not Russia or China. The politics of violence has no place in our society. If the CPI(M) finds that hard to grasp, we will make sure they understand it." His comments signal a darkening tone in the final days of the campaign, as both parties ramp up the rhetoric ahead of the polling results.
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