Sitaram Yechury: Big win ahead

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday said the LDF was poised for landslide victory in the coming Assembly elections. At a meet the press programme at Thiruvananthapuram Press Club, Mr Yechury said the reports from south , central and north Kerala clearly indicated LDF victory. “People are fed up with the corrupt UDF government and they are desperate for a change,” he said.

He mocked the development claims of UDF government. “It is inauguration centric development. Even Air Traffic Control is yet to be set up, but Mr Chandy has inaugurated Kannur airport. Similarly, he was in a hurry to inaugurate the Metro rail. Many other inaugurations have been carried out in haste just to make false claims ahead of polls. The LDF does not believe in inauguration based development. We are for holistic development,” he said.

Mr Yechury said the BJP would not open account in Kerala. “If at all BJP does that it will be thanks to the UDF. The reports coming from different constituencies suggest “match fixing” and nexus between the two parties,” he said. The CPM  general secretary said that those who believed in defending the secular values of the state, would vote for the LDF.

“The BJP has always gained because of the failure of the Congress to counter them effectively. Atal Behari Vajpayee became PM and the Narendra Modi won big majority because of the Congress failure to counter the communal forces. Only the Left can take the Sangh Parivar head on,” he said.

On liquor policy, the CPM leader said that his party would defend all steps taken by previous governments to bring down liquor consumption in the state.  He said bars had not been closed down in the state. Instead liquor consumption had increased, sales of beer and wine have gone up considerably. Mr Yechury said the decision on LDF CM will be taken after the elections and there would be no problem.

He said Prime Minister’s statement comparing Kerala with Somalia would get a befitting reply from the people of the state in the elections. “Wherever Modi campaigns and makes such statements, the BJP loses the poll. It was evident in Delhi and Bihar elections ,” he said.