Indian Union Muslim League, the second largest partner in the Congress-led UDF, today accused the LDF of exploiting the endosulfan issue to gain political mileage after “failing” to effectively implement the ban on the pesticide in the State.
“The hartal called by the LDF demanding nation-wide ban on endosulfan is a futile bid to cover up its failures”, IUML state general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said here.
“The hartal call showed that the LDF is getting ready to sit in the opposition benches when the Assembly poll results are out on May 13,” he said.
Noting that it was the UDF government that banned endosulfan in 2005, Mr. Kunhalikutty said if Congress-led coalition regained power the ban on the pesticide would be implemented “in letter and spirit“.
The IUML leader said there was “no moral justification” for today’s shutdown as the V S Achuthanandan government “had not taken any sincere measure” to effectively rehabilitate the victims of endosulfan in Kasargode district.
Mr. Kunahlikutty, who is expected to lead the IUML in the Assembly after declaration of results, said the UDF was confident of clinching a convincing win this time.
“All sections of society are dissatisfied at the manner in which the state was led by the LDF in the last five years. The results would not be different from those of the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and last year’s civic elections, when the UDF dealt a crushing blow to the LDF”, he said.
