New Delhi: Following Congress's defeat in the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday criticised the grand old party, saying it was a result of "greed and lust for power."
Kerala CM targeted Congress over its decision to fight the polls on its own which led to a division of votes, reported PTI.
Addressing a press conference, he said that the party believed it could secure victory against the BJP on its own, and therefore, it did not join forces with other I.N.D.I.A alliance parties to present a united front against the BJP.
"Had they joined hands with the other parties, this would not have been the result. They were greedy and lusted for power. They wanted it all for themselves. That is what led to this situation in those states. If everyone was together, the result would have been an entirely different one," PTI quoted him as saying.
Vijayan, whose party is part of the opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc, was responding to queries on what led to the poll defeat of the Congress in the three states.
Vijayan had on Sunday also said that the poll outcome in the three Hindi heartland states was the result of the Congress going at it alone.
The CPI(M) had also alleged that "infighting" within the grand old party, "hunger for power" and some of its leader's working as "undercover agents of the BJP", all led to its loss in the assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, reported PTI.
Congress Hits Back
However, his remarks drew a sharp reaction from senior Congress leader V D Satheesan.
Satheesan, who is also the leader of the opposition (LoP) in the state assembly, said that Vijayan appeared more happy with the Congress' defeat than BJP Kerala chief K Surendran.
Satheesan further alleged that Vijayan is the one who helped to "weaken" the alliance for the sake of the Sangh Parivar, and therefore, "we do not want any advice from him".
The BJP had a day ago swept Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh and the Congress ousted the BRS in Telangana to make it 3-1 for the BJP in the latest round of Assembly elections.