Congress disputes the INDIA bloc partner and claims that the CPI (M) and BJP have a "clear-cut" agreement.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: KC Venugopal, a Congress politician, claims that the CPI(M) and BJP have a clear-cut agreement. LDF convener Jayarajan was close to joining the BJP, according to KPCC head Sudhakaran, following their meeting in the Gulf. Venugopal is optimistic that he will win from Alappuzha in the Lok Sabha election.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), a partner of the INDIA bloc, is accused by Congress leader KC Venugopal of having a “clear-cut deal with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)” ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

Regarding the alleged conversations between BJP leader Prakash Javadekar and Left Democratic Front (LDF) chairperson EP Jayarajan, KC Venugopal said, "The two met and held discussion for a long time." The news is startling. According to Jayarajan, Javadekar did really visit and meet him. The BJP's Kerala chief, Prakash Javadekar, claims that the meeting was private. How is that possible? The agreement between the CPM and the BJP is rather explicit."

Serious accusations were also made against Jayarajan by K Sudhakaran, the chief of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), and the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate from the Kannur Lok Sabha constituency. They claimed that Jayarajan was close to joining the BJP following a meeting. BJP officials Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Sobha Surendran allegedly attended the meeting, which purportedly took place in the Gulf, according to Sudhakaran during a press briefing.

"We had the conversation in the Gulf. It is now unable to pinpoint the exact time of the conversation. I am aware only that the topic of a governorship was raised. In the conversation, Rajeev Chandrasekhar and others have taken part. The appointment of MV Govindan as secretary has angered EP. The Congressman expressed his disappointment at not being nominated state secretary. Furthermore, according to Sudhakaran, EP Jayarajan, the leader of the CPI(M), was threatened by his party after meeting with NDA leaders, which compelled him to remain in the CPI(M) and not defect.

‘PM is panicking’

KC Venugopal expressed confidence in his chances after casting his ballot. He is running against Shobha Surendran of the BJP and AM Ariff of the CPI(M).

#WATCH | Congress candidate from Kerala's Alappuzha constituency, KC Venugopal says, "I am confident that the people of Alleppey will stand with me. After phase one of the Lok Sabha elections, the PM is panicking. I thank the PM for bringing the Congress manifesto into the public… pic.twitter.com/x3dO0mISUf

— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2024

Venugopal declared, "I am sure that the people of Alleppey will stand with me," following his vote. The PM is in a panic following the first round of the Lok Sabha elections. I greatly appreciate the PM making the Congress manifesto available to the public. The UDF will win all 20 seats in Kerala. Keralans in Wayanad would demonstrate their support for Rahul Gandhi."

During the second round of elections, voting is now taking place in Kerala for all 20 Lok Sabha constituencies.

The Congress party won 19 of the 20 seats in the 2019 elections, while the CPI-M only took home one. In Kerala, the BJP failed to secure any seats.