UDF to fight Left's 'negative development agenda': Cong

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 1 (UNI) KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala today said the Assembly poll in Kerala was a fight between the Left Democratic Front's 'anti-development attitude' and the United Democratic Front's developmental outlook.

''The LDF only has a negative political agenda for development of the state and the UDF will fight this,'' he told reporters at a Face-to-Face programme organised by Kesari Memorial Journalists' Trust.

Asking the people to vote against this attitude, Mr Chennithala claimed UDF always had a positive approach for overall development.

Alleging the CPI(M) did not have a clear vision on development, he said ''this is costing Kerala's development''. They did not have a standard national policy on development, he said, adding the policy differed from state to state. 'In New Delhi, they have a different policy and in West Bengal this changes. While in Bengal they are welcoming multinationals, they are against it in Kerala.

The CPI(M) itself is confused which reflects in their attitude towards Kerala'.

Maintaining that the Congress always stood for equilibrium between major development and people's welfare, Mr Chennithala said the UDF's main aim was this equilibrium. The present Oommen Chandy government had sat up a conducive atmosphere for an infrastructure boom. The growth rate had reached an all time record of 9.2 per cent and is expected to touch the double digit mark. He said welfare programmes like Akshaya and Kudumbasree had helped the downtrodden.

The UDF government was able to make substantial changes in all the field including agriculture. Describing implementation of Narendran Commission report on representation of backward communities in government services as a landmark in Kerala's history, he said if voted to power, UDF would go ahead with the report.

A comparison between present UDF rule and previous LDF one showed the former was transparent while the latter corrupt, he charged.

Lambasting the Left Front, he said the LDF had now been reduced to a Marxist Front as there were different opinions among constituents. The CPI(M) had taken away some of their partners seats leading to confusion. The LDF was always the first to announce candidates after poll dates were announced, but this time, allotment of seats is yet to be completed, he pointed out.

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