The borderline between the Congress and the BJP is getting thinner in the State, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
Addressing an LDF election convention at Thekkinkadu maidan here on Saturday, he alleged that it had become clear now that the Congress had helped the BJP to open an account in Kerala Assembly. BJP leader O. Rajagopal himself had made it clear, he said.
Many such moves were happening in the background in this election too. The Congress had never taken a clear stand against communalism, he said.
“One BJP leader said if they get 30 seats, the NDA can make a government in Kerala. What does it mean. From where will they get the rest of the seats. We have examples of other States such as Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Puducherry. There is no guarantee that the MLA, who wins from the Congress, will remain there,” he said.
“There have been many communal issues, some of them created with political agenda, in the recent past. But the LDF government has always taken a secular stand,” Mr. Vijayan said.
“When we took power in 2016, our first mission was to regain the image of the State, which was ruined by scandals. Within no time, Kerala became a State with the best governance. We became an investment-friendly State,” the Chief Minister said.
The LDF wanted to make our youth job providers instead of job seekers. The State had 4,000 startups in the last five years. The LDF wanted to make it 15,000 in the next five years.
The COVID-19 has opened another venue for our educated youth, especially women, to work from home. A portal has been opened with data of such people to connect with job providers.
The LDF is planning a micro development project to bring 4.5 lakh people, who have been identified as very poor, to the mainstream with special attention and support. “We also want to make the State a hub of higher education. In all, 30 centres of excellence will be set up in the State,” he said.
Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar presided over. LDF candidates P. Balachandran (Thrissur); Murali Perunnelly (Manalur), Xavier Chittilappilly (Wadakkanchery), C.C. Mukundan (Nattika), and K. Rajan (Ollur) attended the function.
Supports Kanam
Earlier, addressing a convention at Cheruthuruthy, the Chief Minister supported CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran, who criticised NSS (Nair Service Society) on the Sabarimala issue. Mr. Rajendran had not said anything provocative, Mr. Vijayan said.
Mr. Rajendran had said that the NSS, which failed in the court in the Sabarimala case, had been trying to put the blame on the government.
He criticised BJP candidate Sandeep Vachatspati who paid floral tributes at Punnapra-Vayalar memorial. “The BJP is trying to create tension in the area,” the Chief Minister said.