Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday said that Kerala had been brought to ruin by the UDF and LDF, which constantly trade allegations. This has contributed to the State being an under-achiever, despite relatively high quality of life enjoyed by its people.
Speaking at a meet-the-press programme organised at the Ernakulam Press Club, he said that the two fronts were two parts of the same coin.
“They accuse each other, while at the same time, embrace each other. Their political opportunism is clear as the Congress and Left parties have formed an alliance in West Bengal.
“The alliance was entered into since it is a battle of survival for Congress – a sinking ship, and a battle of ideology for CPI(M).”
In the background of poll surveys which suggested that the BJP might open its account in Kerala in this election, Mr.Prabhu refused to guess the number of seats that the BJP hoped to win in Kerala.
Asked why the BJP had not taken a clear stand on implementing the Gadgil Committee recommendations on conserving the Western Ghats, he said that this and East Himalayas were two major ecologically-fragile regions of the country. Development must be sustainable and not at the cost of nature, Mr.Prabhu said.
He said that Kerala stood to benefit from many Central policies. They included the proposal to reduce the commission for foreign remittances.
