Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has called for a high-level inquiry into the government’s controversial land dealings, including the orders that have been revoked, alleging that the Oommen Chandy government is allowing the looting of land resources in the State.
“If the Left Democratic Front (LDF) comes to power, we will cancel all such orders and review all the decisions that will accelerate reclamation of paddy fields and wetlands endangering environment,” Mr. Balakrishnan said at a press conference here on Thursday.
The UDF’s government’s developmental activities reduced to offering land to big corporate companies, he said.
Mr. Balakrishnan said the UDF government had taken 822 decisions in just three Cabinet meetings preceding the announcement of the Assembly election dates. Of these, eight decisions concerned the handing over of a total 2,544 acres of land to corporates, private individuals, and real estate business people, he noted.
Referring to Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president V.M. Sudheeran’s opposition to the controversial land orders, Mr. Balakrishnan said Mr. Chandy was behaving like an autocrat paying no heed to Mr. Sudheeran’s objections.
The CPI(M) leader said the economic growth of the State had come down from 7.6 per cent during the previous LDF rule to 6.1 per cent during the present UDF rule.
Seeks public opinion
Asked if the delay in announcing CPI(M) candidates for the coming election was due to differences within the party, Mr. Balakrishnan said that discussions on identifying candidates were on. The party was also considering public opinion in selecting candidates, he said.
He said the LDF would put up a united fight in the Assembly election and defeat the UDF.
Seat-sharing discussions with LDF partners and other supporting parties were already under way, he added.
