Kerala's Electoral Silence: A Controversy Unfolds

AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Friday challenged Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's quiet stance regarding the Election Commission's decision to implement the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Kerala.

In a press briefing, Venugopal highlighted that despite opposition from chief ministers of the INDIA bloc, including M K Stalin, Mamata Banerjee, and Hemant Soren, as well as the CPI(M), Vijayan has remained silent on the matter. This has raised questions about Kerala's position on the controversial revision.

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has labeled the SIR as "impractical," especially with local body elections looming. The Leader of Opposition, V D Satheesan, accused the move of being a "BJP tactic." In reply, Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar requested the Election Commission delay the SIR to avoid election disruptions.

(With inputs from agencies.)