Narendra Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister and the prime ministerial candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Sunday, launched a scathing attack against the successive LDF and UDF governments for not addressing the development needs of the State over the years and for indulging in “shadow boxing.”
Launching the election campaign of the BJP in the State at the ‘Mahasammelan’ on the Shanghumughom beach here, Mr. Modi said Kerala had suffered on the development front and industrialisation despite its human resources and abundant natural resources, owing to the shadow-boxing behind the curtain by the fronts. “It is like a jugalbandi of five years and both blame each other when they come to power,” he said. Mr. Modi said the “adjustment” by the UDF and the LDF had forced the wife of the slain RMP leader T.P. Chandrasekharan to come to the streets seeking a CBI inquiry. The shadow boxing by the two fronts had also helped the accused in the K.T. Jayakrishnan murder case and in the violent incidents at Marad.
The CPI(M) did not believe in democracy and was interested in unrest to carry forward its agenda. Mr. Modi launched a frontal attack on the Communist Party of India [CPI(M)] for opposing “mechanisation that had left 50 per cent of the fertile land in the State uncultivable and farmers committing suicide, and computerisation… The time has come to wipe them out as in West Bengal”.
Mr. Modi said agriculture, manufacturing, and service sector should be given importance for the development of the State and the country. He cited the LNG terminal construction in Gujarat and Kerala that was taken up in 1998 and how the State missed it and had to spend Rs.4,500 crore compared to Gujarat’s Rs.2,000 crore.
Stating that terrorism was being politicised in the State, Mr. Modi also blamed the governments at the Centre and State for youth being misled and falling prey to anti-national activities. He also wanted the women in the State to come forward to prevent the youth from turning to drugs and alcohol.
‘Development path’The people of the country had already decided that the BJP should come to power in the State and Kerala should support the party to make it their government. The prime ministerial candidate said he could do in five months what others could do in five years.