Local body polls: Congress leader says Kerala ready to 'teach Vijayan govt a lesson'
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 5
Former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president M.M. Hassan on Friday said that the upcoming local body elections are poised to trigger significant political changes in Kerala, reflecting what he described as a growing public sentiment against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government.
Hassan, also a former State Minister, launched a sharp attack on the ruling Left Front, alleging widespread corruption, administrative paralysis, and a failure to deliver meaningful development over the past decade.
According to Hassan, the government's tenure has not produced a single innovative development initiative capable of improving people's lives.
Instead, he claimed, the administration has earned an "all-time record" in exploiting devotees and mishandling temple-related affairs.
Citing the recent controversy surrounding the alleged theft of gold from the Sabarimala temple, Hassan accused the government of lacking the courage to take action against those responsible.
He alleged that the public believes individuals at higher levels of influence may also be involved, beyond those already arrested.
"The government is afraid to react because of the people who might be implicated," Hassan said.
He added that such incidents have deeply eroded public faith in the administration's sincerity and accountability.
In a striking remark, Hassan contrasted the devotion of ordinary believers with what he called the greed of those in power.
"While devotees chant 'Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa', the comrades seem more eager to say 'Swarnam (in Malayalam it means gold) Ayyappa'," he said, accusing the Left of reducing sacred institutions to opportunities for financial gain.
Those who steal the property of the deity, he said, are "people who ought to be banished from the land".
Hassan argued that the mounting dissatisfaction among believers, coupled with the government's failure to prevent or properly investigate such controversies, could significantly influence voting patterns.
The local body elections, he said, will not merely decide grassroots governance but could reshape the broader political landscape in the state.
Kerala has a two-phase local body poll schedule -- on December 9, all districts up to Thrissur will vote, while the remaining districts will go to the polls on December 11, and all votes will be counted on December 13.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Every party says this before elections. The LDF government has done good work in health and education. Let's see what the people decide. But using temple sentiments for politics is not new in Kerala.
As an observer, the 'Swarnam Ayyappa' comment is a powerful political jab. It shows how deeply religious institutions are woven into the political fabric here. The investigation needs to be transparent, regardless of who is involved.
Corruption allegations are serious, but the Congress is not exactly a saint when it comes to clean governance either. This feels like the usual pot calling the kettle black. We need better options, not just a change of guards. 🤷â€â™‚ï¸
The connection he's making between temple affairs and local body polls is interesting. In Kerala, even panchayat elections are fought on big state-level issues. Hope people vote for development and local issues, not just anger over one controversy.
"Administrative paralysis" is a big claim. The floods and pandemic were handled decently by this government. But yes, if the gold theft isn't investigated properly, it will hurt them badly. Ayyappa devotees are a massive vote bank.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.