CPM's election ad kicks up political storm in Palakkad, report sought

With the newspaper advertisement published by the LDF on the eve of the Palakkad bypoll kicking up a political row, the Palakkad district administration has sought a report from the Public Relations Department (PRD) to find out whether the media certification and monitoring committee sanctioned the advertisement. The officials associated with the election wing said that a report has been sought from the PRD.

The advertisements were published in two newspapers: Siraj, the official mouthpiece of the Samastha AP faction and Suprabhatham backed by the EK faction of Samastha, mainly targeting Sandeep Varier, who recently joined the Congress. The page was filled with screenshots of Varier's previous social media posts when he was with the BJP. "The communal propaganda endorsed by Sandeep Varier on social media and channels was frightening. His posts rivalled even Sasikala (Hindu Aikyavedi leader) with regard to anti-minority stand. Congress received this pot of communal poison by expelling P Sarin, a truly secular person," the advertisement's content read.

The alleged communal tone of the advertisement published with an objective to appeal to a particular community sparked sharp reactions. Sandeep Varier said that CPM may have published the advertisement, but it was funded by the BJP. Palakkad Congress candidate Rahul Mamkootathil said that it was silly of CPM to underestimate the political awareness of a community if the party thought that they could provoke members of a particular community with such statements.

LDF leaders justified the advertisement. "During the election, advertisements were given to all dailies. I don't understand why ads published in two papers should be a problem," said Local Self Government Minister M B Rajesh. CPM leader A K Balan said that Sandeep Varier is still with the RSS and was functioning for the Congress, which was condemnable.

The CPM found itself in the middle of the advertisement controversy even as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan faced backlash following his comments against Muslim League state president Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal. During the election rally, Vijayan referred to Shihab Thangal as a follower of Jamaat-e-Islami and his behaviour was at variance with the celebrated legacy of the Panakkad family.