"Pinarayi Vijayan comes with baggage of political violence, corruption": Kerala BJP chief on Athawale's invitation for CPI(M) to join NDA

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], January 22 (ANI): Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Thursday accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of carrying the baggage of "political violence, corruption and incompetence of the last 10 years".
He was responding to Union Minister and Republican Party of India (Athawale) chief Ramdas Athawale's invitation to Vijayan, who is the leader of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), to join hands with the Nationalist Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the upcoming legislative assembly elections in Kerala.
Chandrasekhar said that "anybody who is interested in transforming Kerala and bringing development to Kerala is welcome to join". However, he took a jibe at Vijayan for carrying a 'lot of political baggage' alongwith him.
Speaking to reporters here, he said that he's not the "right candidate" for the NDA.
He said, "I have said this myself, anybody who in Kerala politics is interested sincerely in transforming Kerala and bringing development into Kerala, creating jobs, creating investments, making our economy one of the strongest in the country. Anybody who is interested should join the NDA, and that invitation applies to Pinarayi Vijayan and anybody else, but we certainly don't expect Pinarayi Vijayan to join the NDA, because Pinarayi Vijayan comes with a lot of baggage."
He added, "He comes with a baggage of political violence, corruption and incompetence of the last 10 years, while our minister colleague may extend the invitation. I certainly don't think he's the right candidate for the NDA."
Earlier, Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday invited Pinarayi Vijayan to join hands with the NDA ahead of the upcoming legislative assembly elections in Kerala.
While the BJP-led NDA and CPI(M) are known ideological opponents, in a surprising move, Athawale said that if Vijayan joins the alliance, it would be a "revolutionary" move.
As the CPI(M)-led state government has complained that the Centre is withholding funds, the RPI (Athawale) founder said that joining the alliance will bring more money and development to the state.
"I appeal to the CPI(M) leader and long-serving Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, to join the NDA, as it would be a revolutionary decision. If he and the CPI(M) join the NDA, more money will come to Kerala, which will lead to the development of the state," Athwale said in a press conference in Kannur.
This comes in the backdrop of the CPI(M) alleging "discrimination" in the disbursement of funds to Kerala.
Earlier, the ruling Left Democratic Alliance (LDF), led by Kerala Chief Minister, held a protest against the central government, alleging that it was withholding the state's necessary funds.
Speaking with ANI, Kerala Excise Minister MB Rajesh had alleged that the BJP-led central government has "reduced grants" and "delayed payments" on several central schemes. He also accused the Centre of failing to extend support during the Wayanad landslides.
Kerala is set to hold assembly elections later this year, where the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) will look to win against the ruling LDF. The victory in the Thiruvananthapuram civic body polls has opened up the gates for the BJP-led NDA, turning the state elections into a triangular contest.
The politics have heated up in the run-up to the polls, while the state assembly is holding its first session of the year. A controversy erupted on Tuesday, when Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused Governor Arlekar of making additions and deletions to the policy address approved by the Council of Ministers, while the Lok Bhavan alleged that the draft speech carried "half-truths". (ANI)