Thiruvananthapuram: AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday launched a sharp attack on chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan for describing Rahul Gandhi as the “B-team” of BJP, calling the statement “baseless and politically motivated”.Venugopal said people of Kerala clearly understood the reasons behind such remarks and asserted that no one in the country would believe that Gandhi was aligned with BJP. He pointed out that despite facing disqualification from Parliament and multiple legal cases, Gandhi continued to speak out against Sangh Parivar without fear.The Alappuzha MP said Gandhi’s political track record demonstrated resilience and questioned whether the chief minister had faced comparable situations. CM’s remarks only expose contradictions in CPM’s political stance, especially as his party uses Gandhi’s image during campaigns in other states, he added.People of Alappuzha clearly know that (former minister) G Sudhakaran is a leader who speaks his mind fearlessly, irrespective of party differences and has criticised both Congress and his own previous party, CPM, said Venugopal. But earlier, CM never termed such criticisms as ‘cheap’, he said. “Sudhakaran is known for taking bold stands. Party workers themselves are now asking why age and the two-term norm don’t apply to CM but become an issue only for Sudhakaran. This clearly shows that Pinarayi Vijayan is not “double strong” but “double-faced,” he added.He alleged a tacit understanding between CPM and BJP in Kerala, claiming that seat adjustments and mutual support arrangements were aimed at weakening UDF. He said such an arrangement was unacceptable to cadres of both parties.Referring to allegations surrounding deaths at Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital, Venugopal said attempts were made to suppress facts. He criticised govt over alleged backdoor appointments, stating that even top-ranked candidates in PSC list were being denied jobs, while relatives and associates are favoured. Congress is compiling details of such appointments over the past decade, he said.Venugopal clarified that the upcoming election was not about projecting a chief ministerial candidate in Congress but about ending what he termed a decade of “misgovernance” and bringing change in favour of the people.Highlighting Congress’s welfare agenda, he said the party was ready for a public debate on guarantees Gandhi announced. He cited free travel for women in public buses as a measure that would increase ridership and revenue. Similar schemes have proved successful in states where Congress is in power, he added.
