The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Bypoll results indicate gains for LDF: Viswan

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Tuesday, Nov 17, 2009
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Bypoll results indicate gains for LDF: Viswan

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The byelection results in Kannur, Ernakulam and Alappuzha Assembly constituencies in no way indicate any disaffection among the people of the State towards the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, according to Vaikom Viswan, convener of the front.

He was addressing a press conference here on Monday after an LDF State committee meeting, which discussed the byelection results. Mr. Viswan said that the results, in fact, showed that the LDF had improved its support base among the people.

He said the LDF had made big gains compared to the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year in terms of vote share. He noted that these gains had come in spite of the UDF’s efforts to divert the attention of the voters from the good things the LDF government in the State had done for the people by raking up an artificial campaign issue over the voters’ list. The UDF also wanted to divert the people’s attention from the “anti-poor” policies of the Centre.

The day’s meeting discussed inconclusively a draft action plan for further improving the performance of the Achuthanandan government. Mr. Viswan said there was no dispute that the LDF government had come up with sterling performance during the last nearly four years it had been in power. The discussion on the draft action plan would be completed at a two-day session of the LDF committee on December 7 and 8, he added.

The day’s meeting expressed the LDF’s strong reservations about the Union government’s policy in the matter of foodgrain distribution to the poor. Mr. Viswan said that by segregating even the very poor people into BPL and APL category and drastically reducing Kerala’s quota of ration rice, the Union government was destroying the public distribution system.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, also expressed its protest against the steps being taken by the Union government to implement the terms of the free trade agreement India had signed with the countries in the Association of South East Asian Nations.

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