Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India] March 25 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday condemned the 'misogynistic and insulting remarks' made by a United Democratic Front leader against Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate and sitting Kayamkulam MLA, U Pratibha.

While addressing a UDF election convention held in Kayamkulam on March 24, UDF convener of Alappuzha and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader A Irshad alleged that no development work was carried out during Prathibha's tenure as MLA over the past ten years. He further made a controversial and misogynistic comment, claiming that she is seeking re-election relying on her 'oratory skills and physical appearance,' rather than development work.

'Attacking a woman with derogatory words because she is a public personality reflects a degeneration of political culture. The right wing is moving towards this kind of character assassination because it cannot politically confront the development work and popular interventions carried out by Comrade Prathibha,' Vijayan said.

Taking to his social media, the chief minister and CPI (M) leader, wrote in Malayalam, 'the opposition leader and UDF leaders, who repeatedly say 'Avalkoppam' (we stand with her), expose their hypocrisy by adopting the exact opposite approach to such misogynistic practices.'

The term Avalkoppam was first launched by the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) in 2017 to express solidarity with the survivor in the sexual assault case of a prominent woman actor.

Vijayan said, 'This is not an attack aimed at just one person, it is an insult to all women working in the public sector.'

'It is the UDF's misunderstanding that it can gain votes by insulting women without discussing the development of the country and the problems of the people. Kerala has always stood by the Left's stance that protects the dignity and rights of women,' the chief minister said.

Kayamkulam, seen as a Left bastion, is set to witness a triangular contest with sitting MLA Prathibha aiming for a third time victory as the LDF candidate. Prathibha had won the Assembly elections of 2016 and 2021 from the seat. Prior to that CPI (M)'s C K Sadasivan won the seat in 2006 and 2011. In the 2001 polls, the seat was won by the Indian National Congress' M M Hassan.

For the April 9 polls for the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly, the Congress has fielded KPCC Vice President M Liju. The Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), candidate Thambi Mettuthara, representing the NDA, is also in the fray from the seat, which falls under the Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency. (ANI)