Kerala CM dares Chennithala for debate on development

Speaking to Reporters in Kannur, where he is campaigning for the party, he sought to know whether the Congress leader was ready to discuss and compare the achievements of the previous UDF government with that of the incumbent LDF.

In a tweet late last night, Vijayan said, ''We are in the last leg of election campaigning. Kerala wants to know if the opposition is willing to discuss development and welfare, if they would dare to compare their performance in 2011-16 with that of ours over the last 5 years.'' ''Are you ready LoP?,'' he asked.

Criticising the Congress on Thursday, he said, ''Those who oppose development have forged a state-level alliance against the Left Democratic Front (LDF). They are shying away when asked whether they are ready to discuss the development of the state...'' Citing a recent survey by Transparency International, an NGO, the CM said Kerala was the least corrupt state in the country and the organisation also found that the Congress- ruled Rajasthan tops the states, where corruption was rampant.

Slamming the BJP, he said national leaders, who have absolutely no idea about the social fabric of the state, are flying down to Kerala and repeating the lies of the state leaders.

''Some are trying to woo a few voters using the name of Jesus and Judas, but the same set of people are attacking Christians, by not even allowing them to travel or pray in other parts of the country.

We have not forgotten Graham Staines and his two kids nor the Kandhamal violence. Those behind these violence, were given positions in the central government,'' Vijayan claimed.

Graham Stuart Staines, an Australian Christian missionary was allegedly burnt to death along with his two sons by members of Bajrang Dal in Odisha in 2009.

Vijayan charged both the Congress and BJP with joining hands to attack the Left and said six communist activists were killed in aspan of four months before the local body polls last year.

''After independence, two major genocides happened in our country with the support of the ruling parties.

One in 1984, when Sikhs were massacred by the Congress and in 2002 when Muslims were killed in Gujarat by Sangh Parivar..

Such people are coming to Kerala and preaching us about non-violence. Before the local body polls last year, six communists were killed within a span of three-four months and they are now masquerading as torch-bearers of peace,'' Vijayan said.

The CM also cautioned the people to be wary of fascism and cited the example of Myanmar.

''When the Rohingya community was targetted by the South East Asian country's army in 2017, the majority remained silent thinking they were safe.

But soon they (military) came for the majority. This is how Fascism works,'' Vijayan claimed.

Denouncing the opposition parties in the southern state for failing to prove any of the allegations raised against the Left government, he said after the coming election, the Congress will become 'inconsequential.,