The United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are working working together to disrupt the State’s development, CPI(M) State secretary in-charge A. Vijayaraghavan has said.
They have been shaken by the unprecedented development witnessed by the State in the past five years, he told mediapersons on the sidelines of the Vikasana Munnetta Yatra on Sunday. The Statewide yatra was launched in Kasaragod on Saturday.
The Pinarayi Vijayan-led government was pursuing a policy aimed at development for everyone in Kerala, as against the stated stances of the BJP-led Union government and the UDF, he said.
“The UDF and the BJP have joined hands to stymie Kerala’s development. Therefore, the UDF will not speak out even against the anti-people policies of the Union government,” he said.
Stance on PSUs
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, who was leading the UDF’s Statewide Aishwarya Kerala Yatra, had said that the front would wipe out everything implemented by the LDF government. “This includes LIFE Mission, which provides housing to the poor, and Kerala Bank,” he said. Through Kerala Bank, the LDF aims to use the money raised through cooperative banks for the country’s development.
“The LDF is keen on protecting public sector units (PSUs), whereas the Prime Minister is coming to Kerala to privatise the PSUs. The Congress will not oppose it. They have remained silent even on the fuel price hike,” Mr. Vijayaraghavan said.
On secularism
Seeking to further highlight the differences between the two fronts, he said while the LDF had secularism as its affirmed policy, the Congress sided with the Sangh Parivar, which “seeks to divide people and profit from it.” The Congress could not even stand up to the Central policy on religious minorities, whereas the Chief Minister had made it clear that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act would not be implemented in Kerala.
Kappan factor
On Pala MLA Mani C. Kappan leaving the LDF to join the UDF, he said people would not accept those who switched loyalties.
