UDF will take steps to boost Kerala economy: Satheesan

The United Democratic Front (UDF) will take steps to boost Kerala’s economy if it is voted to power in the Assembly elections, Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan has said.

He was addressing a public event at the Muthalakkulam Ground here on Thursday night as part of the UDF’s ‘Puthuyuga Yathra’ campaign.

Accusing the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of pushing people into a debt trap, Mr. Satheesan said the UDF would streamline tax administration and plug leakage from the exchequer. Government funds would be utilised to help the poor, he said. Mr. Satheesan claimed that the UDF had an alternative vision for the development of the State.

Meanwhile, the Congress leader accused the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] of pursuing a communal line. He alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was resorting to majority communalism as his efforts to “appease” minorities in the Lok Sabha polls miserably failed. He was followed by senior CPI(M) leaders such as A.K. Balan and Minister for Culture Saji Cherian, who came up with condemnable communal statements. Mr. Satheesan said that no communal elements would be allowed to thrive in Kerala.

Saluting the UDF workers who turned up for the event despite the trade union strike held on the day, he said the front would stage a miraculous victory in the next Assembly election in Kozhikode district.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, who opened the event, said the LDF government would crumble in the coming days. K. Praveenkumar, Kozhikode District Congress Committee president, P.K. Kunhalikutty, Indian Union Muslim League national general secretary, and M.K. Raghavan, Kozhikode MP, said the UDF would win a majority of Assembly seats in the upcoming elections in Kozhikode.