Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan | Photo credit: Thulasi Kakkat
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the United Democratic Front (UDF) for making “misogynistic and defamatory” statements against Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) leader and Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate in Kayamkulam Assembly constituency, U. Prathibha.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Vijayan said the UDF’s “cruel attempt to assassinate Ms Prathibha reflected the social and political degeneration of the coalition”. He said the UDF had resorted to “personal attack on opponents and their families” because it could not face the LDF politically. Moreover, the UDF had no credible program to present to the voters, he said.
Mr Vijayan said: “Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, who swears by women’s rights and gender equality, has sided with the predators, not the prey.”
Mr Vijayan said the UDF attack on Ms Prathibha was an “attack on women”. He said the UDF appeared to be dominated by persons “unwilling to accept women as people with distinct personalities, dignity, right to life and self-respect”.
The controversy centered on UDF (Alappuzha) convener A. Irshad, whose speech at an election convention for Congress candidate M. Liju in Kayamkulam on Wednesday had sparked controversy.
Mr Irshad tried to draw a comparison between Mr Liju’s “integrity in personal and public life” and Ms Prathiba’s “questionable character and conduct” as a legislator and politician.
Mr. Irshad drew flak on social and mainstream media for comments widely considered defamatory and the brazen nature of the assassination of a woman public official. Mr Irshad also highlighted the now withdrawn narcotics case (2025) against Ms Prathibha’s son.
Neither the UDF nor the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), of which Mr. Irshad is a member, issued any clarification on the matter.
On Tuesday, Mr. Vijayan accused Mr. Satheesan and his loyalists of providing political cover to ousted Palakkad Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil, who is facing multiple rape charges. Mr. Satheesan countered that “Mr. Vijayan’s feminist outlook was only on paper” and the CPI(M) protected sexual predators while the Congress outright excluded them.
Published – 25 March 2026 15:55 IST
