Kannur: BJP leader CK Padmanabhan has revealed that Congress-League-BJP alliance existed in 2001 election. PK Kunhalikutty and KM Mani attended the talks held in Kasaragod in which PP Mukundan, Devaprakash Goyal and himself were part of, Padmanabhan told Mathrubhumi News.
“Congress had always tried for BJP votes. In 1991, I was the candidate in Kasaragod parliamentary constituency and Mararaji was the candidate in Manjeswaram Assembly constituency. We got the information that there was pact between Congress and League and that would mean Mararji’s victory. But with the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, everything changed,” Padmanabhan said.
Congress were cheating us and they always do. There was a time when Congress could influence BJP, but the situation has changed now. In 2001, I was the candidate in Manjeswaram. Even then there was Co-Le-B alliance. KM Mani, Kunhalikutty, Mukundan, BJP Kerala in charge Devaprakash Goyal and I held talks. We had targeted the CPM rebel votes, he added.
Both Congress and League wanted our votes. They didn’t shy away from asking us. But, they were ready to reject us publically for minority votes. I had then clarified that if they were looking for a 1991 repetition, we won’t accept. They might have understood by now that their gimmicks will not work to influence BJP now, he added.
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