ALAPPUZHA: The UDF Government is trying to usurp the powers of the local bodies in the State that had been given to them by the previous LDF Government to ensure comprehensive development of the State, Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has said.

Inaugurating the election convention of the LDF in the Alappuzha municipality at Kaithavana here on Sunday, Mr. Achuthanandan said the promises of development being given by the Chief Minister to the people were a farce.

Development projects were being seen as avenues for corruption by the present Ministers, Mr. Achuthanandan said.

He alleged that the former Minister M.A. Kuttappan was responsible for the misuse of funds for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes development. A sum of Rs.40 crores had "disappeared" when Mr. Kuttappan was the Minister, Mr. Achuthanandan said.

The Opposition leader said under the UDF rule, the rich and the powerful were illegally appropriating Government land in the State.

While the hotel lobbies had encroached upon Government land at Kovalam, relatives of Ministers were encroaching upon public properties at other places, Mr. Achuthanandan alleged.

He said if Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was not ousted immediately, he would even try to sell the Secretariat.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the results of various elections held after the UDF Government assumed power in 2001 proved that the popularity of the Government had reached an all-time low.

He said the results of the coming local body elections would be the most humiliating for the Government.

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