LDF and UDF are not capable of developing Kerala: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a public meeting organised at the Thekkinkadu maidan in Thrissur on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: K.K. NAJEEB

Launching the campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Thrissur on Sunday, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) would not be able to lead Kerala to development.

Mr. Shah’s Kerala visit gains importance against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement that like in the north-eastern States, the BJP will come into power in Kerala too.

Addressing a public meeting at the Thekkinkadu maidan, he unleashed stringent criticism against the ruling LDF for its failure to control the fire at the Brahmapuram waste management plant in Kochi.

“How can a government that failed to handle a fire at a dump yard even after 11 days since it broke out, handle the development of the State. The LDF and the UDF that ruled the State in turns failed to bring development in Kerala. They have pushed the State into a debt trap of ₹3,40,000 crore,” Mr. Shah said.

Central support

Dismissing the allegation that the Modi government was ignoring Kerala in funding, he said: “When the UPA government gave ₹45,900 crore to Kerala from 2009 to 2014, the NDA government gave ₹1,15,000 in five years. The support price of copra was increased from ₹5,250 a quintal to ₹11,750. An amount of ₹1,950 crore has been allocated for the second phase of Kochi Metro. National highway development was taken up at ₹55,000 crore.”

He ridiculed the Congress-Left alliance in Tripura and said when both of them joined hands for survival, people elected the BJP. While the communists were rejected from the entire world, the country rejected the Congress, he said.

“The Modi government provided development and safety to the country. Under the BJP rule, the country’s economy has developed from 11th position to 5th position in the world. The BJP banned the Popular Front of India to make the country safe.”

Criticising the LDF government for the alleged corruption in LIFE Mission projects, he said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should give an explanation for the involvement of his former Principal Secretary M. Sivasankar in the corruption case.

‘Elect BJP’

“The Kerala society will not be silent. They will give you a fitting reply in the next election,” he said. He urged the people to elect BJP candidates in the coming election and to give one more chance for the BJP government to develop the country.

The BJP is expecting an early bird advantage in the State as it kick-started the campaign well ahead. Actor and former Rajya Sabha member Suresh Gopi shared the stage with Mr. Shah, giving indication about his candidature in the Thrissur constituency. Thrissur is one of the seats in the State which the BJP has been eyeing on for the past few elections.

Journey delayed

Mr. Shah’s journey to Kochi was delayed due to technical problems to his aircraft. Mr. Shah’s journey to Kochi from Hyderabad was delayed by over three hours after his flight developed technical problems. He was supposed to leave for Kochi at 11.40 a.m. after the CISF raising day celebration, but he could leave only at 3 p.m. after another aircraft arrived from Delhi, according to top sources.