Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has said that after its role in the nation’s partition in 1947, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was now aiming to divide the country again.
Addressing an election campaign at Chavara, near here, on Thursday for Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate M.A. Baby, contesting from the Kollam Lok Sabha constituency, Mr Achuthanandan said that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had harmed the farmers of the country. At the same time it gave huge tax concessions to the corporate houses. During the 10-year UPA rule the common man was driven to starvation, he said.
In this situation, the people of the country look forward to an alliance of the Left parties comprising the CPI(M), the CPI, the RSP and the Forward Bloc to bring relief to the poor and protect the unity and integrity of the country. With support from the voters, this alliance will play a crucial role in deciding who will rule the country for the next five years. The Congress and the BJP will not be able to stop that, he said.
The Congress is facing the election fully aware that it has been isolated from the people.
Mr. Narendra Modi was the chief minister who presided over the massacre of about 3,000 persons from a particular community in Gujarat, Mr Achuthanandan said.
The voters feel it is their duty to save the country from the BJP and the Congress. The Congress is now engaged in deceiving the people of the State through the Kasturirangan report, he alleged. He called upon the voters to ensure the victory of all the 20 LDF candidates from the State.
At the Chavara and Anchal assembly segments, Mr. Achuthanandan avoided targeting the Revolutionary Socialist Party and the United Democratic Front candidate from the constituency, N.K. Premachandran, and it was conspicuous since the crowds expected him to attack the RSP especially at Chavara.
But in the meeting at Kunadara held afterwards, Mr. Achuthanandan made a casual mention about Mr, Premachandran “betraying the LDF. When he inaugurated the LDF convention for the Kollam constituency here last Sunday, Mr. Achuthanandan had made a scathing attack on Mr. Premachandran and the RSP for leaving the LDF.
