Kannur/Thiruvananthapuram/Kottayam: Intensifying political rhetoric across state lines, a sharp exchange of words erupted between chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Telangana counterpart Revanth Reddy.At a news conference in Kannur on Tuesday, while responding to a query raised by reporters over Reddy’s earlier remarks, Vijayan said a chief minister must maintain the basic standards of conduct. “Such language is inappropriate for a chief minister. However, he made the allegations in public, hence I will also respond publicly,” he said. Without going into a detailed reply, Vijayan retorted, “At this time, my response is ‘Dash.. Mone Revantha’, the reply to you is coming soon.” The remark triggered widespread criticism.Pinarayi’s jibe was in response to Reddy’s words “Nee Po Mone Vijaya” (Go away, Vijayan) — a play on a dialogue by actor Mohanlal’s character from the 2000 movie ‘Narasimham’ — while speaking at a UDF roadshow in Nemom constituency of Thiruvananthapuram on April 2. Reddy had said Vijayan’s “time is over” and “his expiry date has passed”.In an apparent attempt to clarify his position, Vijayan later sent a letter addressed to “Dear Shri Revanth Reddy,” outlining Kerala’s development achievements in detail. The letter concluded with a message asserting Kerala’s continued progress through the vision of “New Kerala,” emphasising that the state would move forward as a model for others. In response, Reddy sought to dial down the slugfest but he repeated his comment “Nee Po Mone Vijaya”. Speaking at an election rally at Pathanapuram on Tuesday, Reddy said Vijayan was a senior and an experienced leader. He said though he respected Pinarayi as an elderly person, he couldn’t respect his devil’s rule in Kerala. “Today he abused me. I don’t mind that as he is an elderly person. Whatever he abuses me, I will take those abuses as blessings for me,” said Reddy. “But he cannot abuse people of Kerala and abuse power and he cannot become subservient to Modi,” he added.Reddy remarked that Modi was like an “elder brother” to Kerala CM, and said Pinarayi was another Modi in the state. “One Modi sits in New Delhi and another Modi in Thiruvananthapuram,” he said. He alleged that Pinarayi had the support of Modi and communal forces.Later, during an election meeting of the UDF candidate in Mavelikkara, Reddy reiterated his remarks against Vijayan.
