Rival fronts in Ker continue sparring game as campaign closes

Stepping up his attack on CPI-M, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today charged it with promoting political violence and said the result of June 27 bypoll to Aruvikkara Assembly constituency would be a warning to such parties.
As the campaigning for the bypoll came to a close today, Congress-led UDF and opposition CPI(M)-led LDF sparred at each other in a no-holds-barred war of words with Marxist leader Pinarayi Vijayan claiming the poll outcome would see the fall of the UDF government and breaking up of the ruling alliance.
"CPI(M) is promoting political violence and the poll result will be a warning to the party and against those indulging in such violence," Chandy, spearheading the UDF campaign since the past few days, told reporters at nearby Aruvikkara.

On the various allegations raised by the LDF, he claimed people have dismissed them long time ago and said opposition was raising them repeatedly in the hope of gaining some votes.
The bypoll, necessitated by the death of Assembly Speaker G Karithikeyan, is witnessing a triangular contest with the BJP also in fray.
UDF has fielded Karthikeyan's son K S Sabarinath while former Speaker M Vijaykumar (CPI-M) is the LDF candidate and former union minister O Rajagopal is the BJP nominee.

Chandy said the opposition had nothing to say against the government's functioning during the last four years and hence was only raising 'baseless' allegations of corruption. If the LDF finishes third, none would be surprised, he added.

Referring to the solar scam, which rocked his government, Chandy said those guilty of wrongdoing would get the punishment they deserve.
Countering Chandy, Vijayan, CPI(M) Politbureau member and former State secretary, said the poll outcome will see the fall of the government and the disintegration of the UDF.
"Two important things will happen after the polls. One - the UDF government will come to an end. Second, the front will break up," he claimed.
Solar scam, bar bribery scam and land grab cases were among the corruption charges against the government and the people would give a fitting reply to the UDF, he said.

He also hit out at the Election Commission accusing it of "favouring" the ruling front.
With the poll being very significant for BJP, which is yet to taste success in Lok Sabha or assembly polls in the state, the party had campaigned seeking votes citing the "development initiatives" of NDA government.
The party also asked voters to end "corrupt rule of UDF and to change the rotten political system in the state that had hampered the development process.