People's Democracy

 LDF Will Get

Majority: Pinarayi

CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan asserted that people of Kerala will give a mandate in favour of the Left and Democratic Front (LDF) to continue the five year long good work of its government and sustain the developmental achievements of the LDF.

Addressing a 'Meet the Press' in Thiruvananthapuram on April 11, 2011, Vijayan said the present situation in Kerala is completely different from the earlier Lok Sabha and local body elections. The Lok Sabha election scene in 2009 revolved around national issues and formation of central government. The present election is a referendum on the five years of LDF government rule. The general feeling among the people is that the LDF should continue in power. The trend is in favour of us, he said.

Vijayan strongly differed with the opinion of Congress leader A K Antony's opinion that development and people's issues were not discussed in these elections. “Antony, as a Keralite, should be proud of the positive change brought in by the LDF government. Instead of that, Antony is devaluing the changes”, he said. During the UDF regime Kerala witnessed total catastrophe in every field. More than 1500 farmers committed suicide in the state during Antony's tenure as chief minister of UDF government. Now Antony admits that Kerala is free of farmer suicides. He listed out various developmental activities undertaken by the LDF government, including the tremendous pro-fisherfolk measures taken.

In the present elections, pastoral letters in favour of UDF were not issued, he said and termed it a hopeful situation for the LDF. Christian clergy has not taken any particular stand against or in favour of any front.

VS CAMPAIGN

IN ALAPUZZHA

In largely attended meetings on the last day of election campaign in Allapuzha district on April 11, V S Achutanandan expressed confidence about LDF returning to power. He charged the UDF of resorting to spreading rumours and falsehoods about LDF because they have lost hope in the current election. Prime minister, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and A K Antony have tried to humiliate the state. The people of Kerala have boycotted these “high commanders” who looted crores of rupees of public money through notorious scams, he said.

V S campaigned for CPI(M) central committee member and state finance minister Thomas Isaac in Allapuzha and state cooperation minister G Sudhakaran in Ambalapuzzha.

CAMPAIGNING

PEAKS IN KERALA

Campaigning in Kerala has reached to a peak level with top leaders of the main contending parties in the two fronts – Congress and CPI(M) – criss-crossing the state in a hectic campaign.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau members Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, S Ramachandran Pillai, Manik Sarkar and Brinda Karat were simultaneously campaigning for the LDF in various parts of the state, apart from Pinarayi Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. Kodiyeri is contesting from Thalassery in Kannur district.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has done one round of campaigning for UDF while prime minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi are campaigning today. Senior Congress leader and defence minister A K Antony has been camping in the state for the last 10 days and leading the UDF campaign.

Apart from the two main contending parties, BJP leaders L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Narendra Modi, BSP supremo Mayawati, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda have also participated in electioneering.

(N S Sajith)