ALAPPUZHA: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) kicked-off its election campaign in the district on Tuesday by holding election conventions in five Assembly constituencies.

CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the conventions at Ambalappuzha, Alappuzha and Mararikkulam constituencies where the LDF candidates are G. Sudhakaran of the CPI(M), T.J. Anjelose of the CPI and T.M. Thomas Isaac of the CPI(M) respectively. CPI(M) district secretary G. Sudhakaran inaugurated the election convention of G. Rajamma of the CPI(M) at Mavelikara constituency and party central committee member E. Balanandan inaugurated the convention of K.C. Joseph of the Kerala Congress(J) who is the LDF candidate in Kuttanad constituency.

Inaugurating the election convention of G. Sudhakaran at S.N. Auditorium Neerkunnam, Mr. Vijayan said after the repeated failures in the last Lok Sabha elections, local body elections and the byelection to Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat, the United Democratic Front had become very weak and did not have the power to offer a fair fight to the LDF.

He alleged that during the Thiruvananthapuram bypolls, the UDF had used money to influence voters and had made alliances with Hindutva forces. The UDF might resort to the same tactics in the coming elections also. The UDF would conduct a misinformation campaign to misguide the LDF workers and therefore they should be vigilant against it, he noted.

At Mararikkulam, Mr. Vijayan said the UDF rule had taken the State backwards and each day under the UDF Government was a misery to the common man. The traditional industries of coir, cashew and handloom were pushed into crisis by the Government. The policies of the State Government had destroyed the agriculture sector completely, he said.

Speaking at Alappuzha, Mr. Vijayan alleged that the law and order situation in the State had deteriorated under the UDF Government. While in 2001, Central intelligence agencies had considered the State as the one with the best law and order situation, at present the State was being considered as a problem State. Communal violence, murders by mafia and sex scandals increased under UDF rule, he said. Mr. Vijayan said the UPA Government at the Centre had diverted from the age-old foreign policy of the country that was based on non-alignment and was openly siding with the U.S. on many issues. Those who spoke at the conventions included CPI district secretary T. Purushothaman, and MPs C.S. Sujata and K.S. Manoj.

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