"Why are we worried about it now?" Pinarayi Vijayan asked on the Sabarimala issue. (File)
With the opposition parties in Kerala continuing to target the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) on the Sabarimala issue, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday maintained that as of now everything was going on smoothly at the hill shrine and the matter would come up only when the Supreme Court delivers the final verdict.
Asking why the party should be worried about it now, he told reporters in Pattambi in Palakkad district if any issue crops up after the final verdict it would be discussed with all sections of society.
"Now, the matter will come up only when the final verdict is issued by the constitution bench of the apex court," he said.
"Our stand is that when the final verdict comes out, and if any issue crops up at that time, we will discuss the matter with every section of the society. Why are we worried about it now?" he asked.
The state had witnessed widespread violent protests by a section of devotees led by the BJP and other right wing outfits against the state government's decision to implement the Supreme Court order allowing entry to women of all ages into the hilltop shrine.
He also said the ruling Left front would have more seats in the Assembly after the April 6 elections.
"There is no doubt that we will get more seats than the last time," Mr Vijayan said in response to a question on the number of seats expected by the Left Front.
Mr Vijayan attacked the BJP and the Congress-led UDF and said the infamous "Co-Le-B alliance" is now a public deal and was an attempt to weaken the Left movement in the state.
He also said the Left doesn't need the support of communal parties to gain acceptance among the people and asked "those who want to protect secularism in the country to observe" the Kerala-level alliance of the "Congress-League-BJP (Co-Le-B)".
Mr Vijayan was responding to the statements of the lone BJP legislator in Kerala, O Rajagopal, that there were "adjustments" between UDF partners Congress and IUML and his party in past elections in order to defeat the CPI(M).
The chief minister said both the BJP and Mr Rajagopal benefited from that alliance and received the Congress votes at Nemom.
"Now it is public that the Congress had ties with the BJP earlier also. They are trying to forge the same alliance in this election too. People have to be careful. Those who want to protect secularism in the country need to observe these matters carefully," he added.
He said, earlier this "adjustment between these parties" was not in the open but now certain UDF candidates have publicly announced that those who voted for BJP last time will vote for them in this election.
"Now it's not a secret deal but an open adjustment. The people are watching," he said.
Asked about Palakkad BJP candidate E Sreedharan's recent comment reported by some media that apart from the Palarivattom project, the state government was not cooperative in developing infrastructure in Kerala, Mr Vijayan said "even experts who join BJP, tend to show that party's traits".
"He (Sreedharan) is a major technocrat in our country. Even experts who join BJP, tend to show that party's traits. So he too may have reached a certain point where he would end up saying anything," the Chief Minister said.
Referring to the recent decision of the central government to "sell hundreds of public sector undertakings", Mr Vijayan attacked the Congress and the BJP saying "both the parties share the same policy of globalisation and privatisation".
He said Congress was the "proponent" of this policy and cited the example of Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor backing the handover of the International Airport in the state capital to Adani Group.
"Now the BJP-ruled central government has decided to sell around hundred public sector undertakings in the country. Have they (Congress or UDF) raised any objection towards this? No. Because it's the Congress who are the real proponents of this policy."
"It was decided to privatise the Trivandrum International Airport. The Left government here opposed but the Lok Sabha memberfromThiruvananthapuram supported it. The globalisation policy was initiated by the Congress," Mr Vijayan said.
He said Kerala has been opposing the globalisation policy and "implementing an alternate model".
"Those who are opposing the globalisation and privatisation including the farmers and others are looking towards Kerala with hope. We have put forward an alternative policy," he said.
The lone Communist chief minister said the country was keenly observing the steps taken by the Left government to protect secularism in the state and with a "Kerala-level understanding, the Congress, the UDF and the BJP are trying to weaken the Left movement in the state".
He said there are attempts to attack the secular values and the Constitution of the country and people rejecting or returning awards are also a form of protest against destroying the secular fabric of the nation.
"Secularism can be protected only by taking a strong stand against communalism and only the Left parties have been opposing the anti-secular forces. There are conscious efforts to destroy secularism and the Constitution of this country.
"The country is keenly observing the steps taken by the Left government to protect secularism in the state," he said.
Mr Vijayan is touring the districts of the state as part of the election campaigning for the Assembly elections scheduled on April 6.
The results will be out on May 2.