CPM’s Nava Kerala Yatra begins with pro-development pitch

KANNUR: The ‘Nava Kerala Yatra’ led by CPM’s chief minister hopeful Pinarayi Vijayan began at Uppala in Kasargod on Friday evening, with an election pitch of an alternative development agenda for Kerala.
Inaugurating the march, aimed as an image makeover exercise for Pinarayi, CPM politburo member Prakash Karat said development would not be possible when there is corruption and hence the UDF government, which is neck deep in corruption, cannot bring development.
“The Nava Kerala Yatra will provide a new path for development,” he said, adding that Kerala should remain secular, and only then it can march forward.
Karat said the party has prepared a blueprint for development in different sectors and the international Kerala Study Congress was an effort in this direction.
Commenting on ‘Janaraksha yathra’ led by KPCC president V M Sudheeran he said it is aimed at protecting corrupt leaders.
Sharply attacking the BJP-led government at the Centre, he said it is implementing the agenda set by the communal forces and is playing communal politics to divide the people. Also, Kerala has a traditional harmony between people practicing different religions and the BJP’s plan to have tie up with communal forces in the state would disrupted that, he said.
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the UDF government is a failure in all fronts and has pushed the state to a debt of Rs 1,60,000 crore. Public sector undertakings that were profit making during the LDF regime are now in loss, he said.
Kodiyeri said the move by the Oommen Chandy government for an early hearing in Lavlin case is politically motivated and drama enacted by Oommen Chandy and the RSS. Veteran leader V S Achuthanandan did not touch upon the controversial issue in his speech but used his energy to attack the BJP and the Congress.
“BJP cannot rule the country for long, and a change is imminent, which will begin from the southern most part of India,” he said.
The inaugural programme showcased the organizational strength of the CPM, letting out a signal that leaders have buried factional feuds for now.
The yatra would conclude in Thiruvananthapuram on February 14, covering nearly 2000 kilometres in 30 days.