BJP President's 'Cake Diplomacy' Sparks Controversy in Thrissur
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Thrissur (Kerala), Dec 27 (NationPress) Senior CPI leader and former Kerala minister V.S. Sunil Kumar on Friday continued to criticize Thrissur Mayor M.K. Varghese for his apparent 'friendliness' with the BJP.
Sunil Kumar had previously condemned the Mayor for accepting a Christmas cake from state BJP President K. Surendran.
The Thrissur Corporation is governed by the CPI-M-led Left Front, where the CPI holds the position of the second-largest party, but Varghese was elected as an independent. To prevent the Congress-led UDF from gaining power, the Left offered Varghese the Mayoral position.
Sunil Kumar had expressed his concerns about Varghese long before the latter's defeat to BJP candidate Suresh Gopi in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, which marked the BJP's sole victory in Kerala during the 2024 general elections. This loss has intensified the tension between Varghese and the CPI.
Throughout the election campaign, the CPI leader had been vocal about his discontent regarding Varghese's actions, asserting that despite the Mayor's support from the Left, his loyalty lies with the BJP.
"Why did the BJP present a cake exclusively to the Thrissur Mayor when there are numerous other mayors across the state?" questioned a frustrated Sunil Kumar.
In response to the CPI leader's criticism, Varghese stated that as a Christian, he believes in hospitality and sees no issue with accepting a cake.
Surendran countered that Kumar's behavior has been negative since his Lok Sabha defeat, emphasizing that the visit to the Mayor was devoid of ulterior motives.
