Ravi predicts comfortable victory for UDF

Kozhikode, Mar 12 (UNI) Union Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi today predicted the return of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala as the Oommen Chandy government was able to give a new orientation to the development of the state.

''The coming assembly election would see the return of the UDF to power as the people were very much happy with various development projects initiated by the government during its nearly five-years term,'' Mr Ravi told a meet the press programme organised by Calicut Press Club here.

The significant achievement of the government was its success to compel the CPI (M), which ''opposed every move to scuttle the progressive projects launched by the government,'' to think about the development of the state, he said.

Claiming credit for that party's change of attitude, he said CPI (M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had even taken out a state-wide march recently highlighting various aspects of development.

Differences of opinion prevailing among the rank and file of the party would also help the UDF romp home with a comfortable majority in the elections, Mr Ravi claimed.

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