Kerala CM asks UDF to cooperate in seeking Centre's help

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 7 (UNI) Asserting that it was not the policy of the Left to criticise the Centre for each and everything, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today asked the Congress-led Opposition United Democratic Front(UDF) to join hands with the Government to put forward the demands of the State in an effective manner before the UPA Government.

Winding up the three-day discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor's Address, the Chief Minister said, ''Our criticism against the UPA Government is constructive and even Congress president Sonia Gandhi has now accepted the facts.'' The Centre was being ruled by a Government with the support of the Left parties, he said, acknowledging that several demands of the State Government had been met in the Union and Railway budgets.

However, there were certain things like a 'Debt Relief Commission' at the national level to mitigate the sufferings of the farmers, were yet to be met, he added.

Mr Achuthanandan said farmers in Kerala were suffering from an annual loss of Rs 7000 crore due to the crash in the prices of essential commodities.

Referring to the controversy over the Left Democratic Front(LDF) Government approving the loan from the Asian Development Bank, he said the Government would try to correct, if there were any provisions that went against the interests of the common man. ''It is not a closed chapter for us. Whenever, there is an opportunity, we will try to correct them,'' he added.

On the reports that there were differences in the Cabinet over the issue of approving the ADB loan, Mr Achuthanandan said he did not believe that whatever he did in his capacity as Chief Minister and earlier as Leader of the Opposition was correct. There might be lapses, but he was willing to correct them, he added.

''I am proud of the things that I have done as per the discipline of the party,'' he said.

Earlier, leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy sought an inquiry into the allegation that tsunami funds worth crores of rupees were diverted when he was the Chief Minister. ''There was no diversion of funds during my tenure. The Government should bring out the fact,'' he added.

UNI