Lok Sabha Polls: LDF Criticises BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar For Skipping To Vote In Bengaluru To Campaign In Thiruvananthapuram

In Thiruvananthapuram, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that he was not able to transfer his vote to Kerala.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar is contesting against Congress incumbent MP Shashi Tharoor. 

Source : File Photo

Thiruvananthapuram BJP candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar made an appeal to voters in Kerala but chose not to fulfill his democratic duty of voting in Bengaluru on Friday (April 26). In contrast, he urged people in Thiruvananthapuram to cast their votes, which led to criticism from the Left parties in the state.

In Thiruvananthapuram, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Electronics said that he was not able to transfer his vote to Kerala and also lacked time to fly back to Bengaluru. 

Rajeev Chandrasekhar is contesting against Congress incumbent MP Shashi Tharoor. 

"I didn't go to cast vote. This is my top priority. It is my duty to be present here on the election day," he told reporters, as per a report on PTI.

Following this, both the CPI(M) and CPI, coalition partners in the LDF, criticised Chandrasekhar for his remarks, emphasising that voting is not just a fundamental right but also a civic duty. Senior CPI(M) leader and General Education Minister V Sivankutty remarked that Chandrasekhar, being capable of using a helicopter to travel to his voting location and return, should prioritise fulfilling his responsibility as a citizen.

"Chandrasekhar's decision to abstain from voting is an insult to the democratic process," he said.

The minister further expressed that the BJP candidate's actions cast doubt on his dedication to democratic values and his responsibility to the electorate. Similarly, Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil echoed these sentiments, stating that Chandrasekhar's decision not to vote was a serious matter and constituted a betrayal of the people of the Thiruvananthapuram constituency.

"This reflected the BJP candidate's lack of trust in democracy," he added, as per the report.

Kerala voted in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on Friday with a decrease in the voter turnout.