CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has criticised the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram for ignoring Kerala. “The Budget has not only ignored Kerala but also insulted the State,” he said during his Save Kerala March at Edappal on Tuesday.
The CPI(M) leader said that lakhs of expatriates who bring foreign money to the country were totally ignored in the Budget.
Mr. Vijayan said that the CPI(M) would have nothing to do with the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He shared the stage with PDP leader Abdul Nasir Maudany during the last Lok Sabha elections in Ponnani as the party had offered its support to Hussain Randathani, an independent candidate acceptable to different parties.
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The CPI(M) leader accused the police of fabricating stories to save the culprits in the murder of a woman employee at the Congress committee office at Nilambur. He said that the demand by the kin of the victim for investigation by a higher agency should be acceded to.
He also said that the doubts aired by Shirly Vasu, Forensic head of Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, about the murder of the woman should be seriously viewed.
Mr. Vijayan said that the CPI(M) would keep both the Congress and the BJP at bay in the Lok Sabha elections. “Neither the BJP nor the Congress has any chance of coming to power at the Centre. Both will be routed and the Third Front will play crucial role this time, and the contribution of Kerala will be immense to that,” he said.
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Mr. Vijayan said the letter by V.S. Achuthanandan supporting RMP leader K.K. Rema’s demand for a CBI investigation into the conspiracy behind the murder of T.P. Chandrasekharan’s was inapt. “There is no need for any further investigation now,” he said.
The march entered the district from Thrithala, and was given the first reception at Edappal. Thousands of people cheered the CPI(M) leader as he addressed huge gatherings at Edappal, Ponnani, Tirur and Tanur.
CPI(M) leaders A. Vijayaraghavan, E.P. Jayarajan, P.K. Sreemathy, A.K. Balan, M.V. Govindan, Elamaram Karim, and Baby John are accompanying Mr. Vijayan.
On Wednesday, the march will be given receptions at Parappanangadi (10 a.m.), Athanikkal (11.30 a.m.), Kondotty (3 p.m.), Vengara (4.30 p.m.) and Malappuram (6 p.m.).