High-voltage campaign by national leaders in Kerala

Bharatiya Janata Party Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will address a rally at Kasargod where the party hopes to open its account

BS Reporter Kochi
Last Updated : Apr 07 2014 | 12:43 AM IST
Kerala is witnessing a high-voltage poll campaign as national leaders of various political parties are now flying into the state. Wordly duel between these leaders is raising the mercury level of the poll battle and the last phase of the electioneering is at its peak now.

Starting his whirlwind day-long campaign Rahul Gandhi strongly criticised the CPI (M) saying the party had no role in this election and in the formation of the new government at the national level.

The victory of CPI (M) candidates would indirectly benefit the BJP. At various election rallies across the state he also attacked BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

"India will not shine under Narendra Modi. Development is not based on a single man, it is a team effort," he said in a United Democratic Front (UDF) rally at Chengannur in Alappuzha.

Rahul also addressed rallies at Kasargod, Kattappana in Idukki district and Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram. Prime minister Manmohan Singh also addressed his first rally at Thoppumpadi near here.

Earlier, addressing a rally, defence minister AK Antony sought the support of the CPI (M) in evading the BJP from grabbing power at the Centre.

He said it would be an ultimate disaster if the BJP and Modi came to power. Modi destroys morale of the Indian Army by raising criticism against the defence ministry, he added.

In retaliation to Antony's comments, Prakash Karat, CPI (M) general secretary, asked the former to clarify in which world he was living.

Congress will not get 100 seats in this election. Then how they can form a government at the Centre ? Why they are seeking the support of the Left parties ? Instead of the BJP and the Congress, the Third Front would emerge victorious in this election and was likely to form the government, he said.

He said the next target of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the RSS was Mathura and Kashi after Ayodhya. The RSS and the VHP wanted to construct temples at Mathura and Kashi demolishing mosques there. Because of this agenda, Modi was contesting from Varanasi, he alleged.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP spokesperson, said Left parties would face a humiliating defeat in the election.

The CPI (M) was desperate as they had lost West Bengal and Kerala.

"I can understand the desperation of Karat. Under his leadership the CPI (M) lost three elections in a row. So he is desperately attacking the BJP. the BJP will emerge and come to power this time," he said at a 'meet the press' programme here.

He said Sonia Gandhi was making a deliberate attempt to communalise the election by meeting with Delhi Imam Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari.

Later, the Imam had endorsed the Congress as the electoral choice of the Muslim community.

BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu also campaigned in Kerala.

Narendra Modi will address a rally at Kasargod where the party hopes to open its account.

For the Congress, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will also address rallies at various locations. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is trying hard to bring Arvind Kejriwal for at least one rally in the state.
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First Published: Apr 06 2014 | 8:39 PM IST

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