The Hindu : Kerala News : CPI(M) never blocked development: Pinarayi

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Monday, Apr 19, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

CPI(M) never blocked development: Pinarayi

By Our Staff Reporter

THRISSUR, APRIL 18 . The CPI(M) State secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, today refuted the statement of the Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, that the CPI(M) was against the development of the State and challenged Mr. Antony to name any pro-people project of the present UDF Government that had been blocked by the CPI(M).

Addressing a `Meet-the-Press' programme at the Thrissur Press Club, Mr. Vijayan said, "It is true that we opposed projects such as the one to sell the Periyar river, which is detrimental to the interests of the people. Even at the much-publicised General Investors Meet, the Leader of the Opposition, V.S. Achuthanandan, had given an assurance to the Government that the CPI(M) and the LDF would support any project that would bring progress to the State.

"However, the Antony Government could not in reality bring in any development project, as it was busy engaged in group rivalries. Even the Industries Minister, P.K. Kunhalikutty, had said that "last year was a lost year", he said.

"In fact, the Antony regime had created the worst development crisis in the State. The public health care system, right from medical colleges to primary health centres, had been systematically destroyed by the Government. The traditional as well as modern industries had been closed down. Nearly 50,000 Government posts had been abolished. The law and order situation was deteriorating, with mafias and anti-social elements being given a free reign in the State," he alleged.

"In a bid to cover up for the all-round failure, Mr. Antony has now set out on a campaign to portray the CPI(M) as an anti-development party. Mr. Antony's proposed `Navodhana yatra' (renaissance march)' should be rechristened `Vilapa yatra' (mourning procession) to wail about his failures," Mr. Vijayan said.

Dismissing reports on an `understanding' between his party and the Karunakaran faction at Wadakkanchery and Mukundapuram, Mr. Vijayan said, "Muraleedharan, who had selected Wadakkancherry as the safest seat in the State, is now attacking the CPI(M), after realising that he was on slippery terrain in the constituency. He had even demanded that some CPI(M) leaders be arrested for their remarks on the killing in the Kannur Central jail."

According to him, the allocation of the CPI(M) symbol to the LDF candidate in Mukundapuram constituency, Lonappan Nambadan, have brightened his prospects as it had enthused party workers there.

`Not to take up Wahab issue'

When his attention was drawn to the reported remark of Mr. Achuthanandan that P.V. Abdul Wahab, MP, may have friends in the CPI(M) too, Mr Vijayan said, "I do not know of anybody in the CPI(M) being friends with Mr. Wahab. May be it has come to his (Mr Achuthanandan's) notice, and you will have to ask him what prompted him to say so."

Replying to questions, Mr Vijayan said it was for the Nilambur unit of the CPI(M) and the party activist, Padmakshan, who had filed the complaint against Mr. Wahab, to decide on the further course of legal action to be taken in the case. The CPI(M) State committee or the party as a whole will not take up the case.

He said notwithstanding the denial of the BJP leaders, there was a possibility of BJP votes being given to the UDF in this elections also considering that such incidents had taken place even in the recent elections in Ernakulam and Thiruvalla.

Asked whether his party would extend support to Mr. Karunakaran if he were to revive his demand for a change of leadership in the UDF after the elections, Mr Vijayan said, ''Both of them (the factions in the Congress) now say that they are "only two bodies with one heart" and that none should entertain thoughts about future fights; then why should we bother about it."

He said the credibility of the CPI(M) had not been damaged by its attempts to support the earlier demand of the Karunakaran faction for a leadership change in the UDF, "because we have only performed our duty as the Opposition."Mr. Vijayan said the CPI(M) effort was to ensure the presence of maximum number of MPs belonging to the Left in the next Parliament, to pave the way for the formation of a secular Government at the Centre.

The question of joining the Government would be decided after the election.

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