CPI(M) main opponent of Congress in Kerala, says Oommen Chandy

CPI(M) is the main opponent of Congress in Kerala, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said, notwithstanding the strategy his party will adopt in West Bengal vis-a-vis the Left in the coming election.

“Politically CPM is there... BJP is not such a threat,” he told reporters here yesterday when asked which was the ‘enemy number one’ for the party keeping in view the forthcoming Assembly polls in the state.

Exuding confidence of getting a favourable verdict in the polls, Chandy said he was not “bothered” what the party’s stand will be with repsect to the Left in West Bengal.

“We are not at all bothered about coalition in West Bengal (between the Left and Congress). That is up to the state unit and high command (of Congress) to take a decision. We are fighting with our own strengths and confidence (in Kerala),” he said.

Chandy said the most important factor for his party to retain power is the unity with coalition partners of United Democratic Front (UDF) and the stability his government had provided in the state in the last five years.

“I am quite confident (of Congress winning the polls).  First thing, we started the government with two MLAs and then everybody said we will last maximum 6 months but we are completing five years without any controversy... We took our own decisions... (There were) no controversies. People count the stability of the government. We are not spending time and spending power at the cost of the people.

“The second factor is our unity, Congress and the UDF. The entire party and the UDF is going together. I am fully satisfied and I am getting full support from my party and the UDF,” Chandy said after President Pranab Mukherjee initiated a number of e-enabled projects aimed at making Kerala the first digital state of the country.