Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, 30 March, took a dig at the Kerala government over the gold smuggling case, ahead of the Assembly elections in the state, saying, "Judas betrayed Lord Christ for a pieces of silver. LDF has betrayed Kerala for a few pieces of gold.”
The PM made the remarks while addressing a rally in Palakkad. 'Metro Man' E Sreedharan, who recently joined the BJP and is contesting from Palakkad, felicitated Modi before his address.
‘Should Be Ashamed’: PM Rakes Up Sabarimala Issue
The PM, in his address, slammed both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), the two major political alliances in the state, saying, "For many years, the worst-kept secret of Kerala politics was the friendly agreement of UDF and LDF. Now, the first-time voter of Kerala is asking – what is this match fixing? People are seeing how UDF and LDF misled them."
“In West Bengal, Congress and Left are one... They were partners in UPA I in Delhi. The Left continued to give issue-based support to UPA II. But here in Kerala, during elections, they put allegations. And after coming to power, they never act on it.”PM Modi, as quoted by ANI
Raking up the Sabarimala temple issue, Modi said that the two alliances are "ashamed" of the culture of the land, going on to allege that their leaders abuse the traditions and ethos.
"The LDF govt should be ashamed of showering lathis on innocent devotees. UDF should be ashamed of remaining silent when this was happening," he was quoted as saying.
‘FAST Development in Kerala’
The PM, during his rally, coined yet another acronym while promising development in Kerala.
“The time has come for FAST development in Kerala – F for fisheries and fertilisers, A for agriculture and ayurveda, S for skill development and social justice, and T for tourism and technology.”PM Modi, as quoted by ANI
Modi's address comes just days before voting is held in Kerala on 6 April. The election will be held in just one phase, with the results to be declared on 2 May, along with those for West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF is looking to hold on to power and ward off the challenge by the UDF. The BJP, though a small player in the state, is looking to expand its footprint.
(With inputs from ANI.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)