Satheesan’s stand on SDPI votes will only help BJP, says SDPI state president

Kozhikode: SDPI state president CPA Latheef said the stand taken by leader of opposition V D Satheesan that SDPI votes are not needed is mysterious and said it would only help BJP.Addressing reporters in Malappuram, Latheef said Satheesan took such a stand when other leaders in Congress or UDF did not have publicly stated such a stand. He said there is no need to give votes to those who say they do not want them and termed Satheesan's stand as "indecent" adding that while one can oppose politically, it is wrong to reject votes outright.Latheef said the party had withdrawn its candidate in Manjeshwar with the broader objective of preventing a BJP victory. However, with Satheesan maintaining this stand, supporting UDF candidate would not be possible. He asked whether Satheesan's position reflects the official policy of Congress, and said leaders must clarify this. He also called on Indian Union Muslim League to respond.He said that AICC general secretary K C Venugopal had even recently stated that the party would accept votes from all and added that even Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal had earlier taken a position that it would be better if SDPI did not contest in Manjeshwar and had called for consolidation of secular votes. However, he said, Satheesan's stand contradicts this approach.Latheef noted that LDF leaders have not said they would refuse SDPI votes. He said while LDF leaders have not formally sought support, it has come from local leaders in Nemom. Even otherwise, he added, supporting Left candidate in Nemom is necessary to keep BJP out as the contest is between CPM and BJP.