BJP MP warns CPI-M on attacks against party workers in Kerala

Kottayam: BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP Nalin Kumar Kateel on Tuesday warned the CPI-M that the Centre would intervene if BJP workers continued to be physically targeted in left-ruled Kerala and would face retaliation in other parts of the country as well.

"They (CPI-M) will come to know about the strength of the BJP in other parts of the country if they did not stop violence against the BJP workers in Kerala," Kateel said, addressing a meeting of the BJP Kerala state committee here.

Kateel, an MP from Karnataka, also said the Centre would intervene if BJP workers continued to be physically targeted in the state.

He alleged that the CPI(M)-ruled state was now known for political killings while other states in the country focused on development and economic growth.

The meeting, held here, discussed political violence allegedly unleashed by CPI(M) cadres against BJP workers in the state.

Party state president Kummanam Rajasekharan said BJP has emerged as a major force in the state and that was the reason why the party is "continuously targeted by both Congress-led UDF and LDF spearheaded by CPI-M."

He criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for using the platform of state youth festival being held in Kannur for reportedly politically attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"It is a feudal government which is ruling the state. Both the Prime Minister and the BJP are being targeted by those who failed to fight them ideologically.

"BJP has emerged as a major political force in the state. That is why the party is treated as number one enemy by two major political fronts--the LDF and UDF," Rajasekharan said.

BJP's former state presidents O Rajagopal, K V Sreedharan Master, C K Padmanabhan, P S Sreedharan Pillai, P K Krishnadas and V Muraleedharan were also present at the meeting, held as a prelude to the state council meeting tomorrow.

Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu would inaugurate the first state council meeting to be held after Rajasekharan took charge as the party's Kerala unit president.

As many as 1373 representatives would take part in the meeting.