The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : One year of immobility: Chandy

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Friday, May 18, 2007
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

One year of immobility: Chandy

Special Correspondent

Oommen Chandy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy has described the first year of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government as one marked by total immobility on account of divisions within the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and neglect of development issues and problems of the weaker sections.

In a statement here on Thursday, on the eve of the first anniversary of the Government, Mr. Chandy said the Government had been implementing with a vengeance all the policies of the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) Government, which it had opposed while in the Opposition. The Left appears to have put into effect the dictum that there were no principles in love and war. The LDF had come to power unleashing a false campaign against the UDF. It had now swallowed many of its promises, proving that there was a great chasm between words and deeds.

`UDF's baby'

He said the Smart City project, which was the only achievement being touted by the Government, would place a heavy financial burden on the State. Although the LDF was vehement in its opposition to the conditions attached to the agreement drafted by the UDF Government, the one that had been signed now was fraught with several shortcomings. The relative merits and demerits of the two agreements were slowly coming to light. The LDF would also do well not to forget that the Smart City project was "UDF's baby." The LDF must answer if it had succeeded in launching any project other than the Smart City project.

Mr. Chandy said the Chief Minister had declared before the Assembly elections that those who sexually exploited women would be arrested and the Asian Development Bank loan would not be accepted, but he did not stick to his words.

He said that despite the claim that the Tatas had encroached upon 20,000 hectares of land in Munnar, not a cent of it had been resumed so far.

Chennithala hails it

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala has welcomed the demolition of unauthorised structures and eviction of encroachments in Munnar.

Briefing reporters about the decisions of the KPCC political affairs committee, which met here on Thursday, Mr.Chennithala said that the action should not be confined to Munnar and must be carried out across the State. The Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF) will support the drive launched by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, but the people wanted to know whether it was the decision of Mr.Achuthanandan alone or a programme of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). The issue came to the notice of the Government following the visit of Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy to Munnar and the efforts of the District Congress Committee of Idukki. It was the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India of India(Marxist) (CPI(M) that opposed the drive and not the Congress and the UDF. The UDF delegation that visited Munnar was attacked by the local CPI(M) activists, he said.

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