Left leaders launch missed call campaign in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, March 22: Left leaders in Kerala have launched a 'missed call campaign' to reach out to voters, especially youngsters.

93-year-old Marxist veteran and state opposition leader V S Achuthanandan and party politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan have launched the new mode of campaign in support of CPI(M)-led LDF candidates for the May 16 assembly polls.

Party sources said the campaign would not only create an awareness among voters to exercise their franchise in favour of LDF but also expose corruption in the five-year rule of Congress-UDF government led by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

Under the campaign, anybody can give a missed call from their phones to the campaign's assigned mobile number.

In return, the callers will get a recorded message of Achuthanandan and Vijayan. Achuthanandan focuses on corruption under the UDF rule in his over 30 second-long message, while Vijayan asks people to vote for LDF for 'responsible government and development.'

"I am V S Achuthanandan. Are you not fed up with corruption? It is the people's dream that is getting shattered when Rs 70 of the Rs 100 earmarked for development goes into someone's pocket. This also results in blocking of the state's development. This trend has to be stopped. Join LDF for a corruption-free Kerala," the recorded message says. Meanwhile, discussions are going on at different levels of the party on the finalisation of candidates list.

LDF has already taken a decision to come out with its front manifesto on April 5.

PTI