Vijayan accuses Modi, Rahul Gandhi of covering up Kerala's progress with lies

KOCHI: With the crucial Lok Sabha polls just five days away in the state, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday intensified his attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing them of attempting to cover up the progresses achieved by the state with ''lies''.

Modi and Gandhi have a similar voice while speaking against the southern state, he told a press conference in Kanhangadu here.

''A strange phenomenon is happening now in which the Prime Minister and the all India leader of the main opposition party are trying in unison to cover up the state (Kerala) and the progress it achieved with lies,'' the Chief Minister alleged.

Targeting Modi for his recent remarks against the state government, Vijayan said the Prime Minister had mentioned the other day that corruption thrives in Kerala like in Bihar.

Through the statement, the PM is insulting two states at one go, he said.

Rejecting Modi's charge, the Left leader said it is well known that Kerala is the least corrupt state in the country and the recognition in this regard was given to it by the recent India Corruption Survey jointly conducted by the Centre for Media Studies, Transparency International and Local Circles.

''Beyond that, what authentic report does the Prime Minister have to insult Kerala?'' Vijayan asked.

Attacking the BJP-led union government over the poor allocations to the states, he said the distribution of funds through financial commissions is not the bounty of anyone.

He also accused Modi of putting pressure upon the financial commissions who have the constitutional rights to take independent decisions on allocations to the states.

Stating that the allocation of central funds is the constitutional right of states, he said the approach of the Centre is to interfere in the topics and criteria under the consideration of the Commission and deny Kerala the amount it deserves.

Vijayan claimed that there is a favourable wave for the LDF in the state during the ongoing campaign for Lok Sabha polls and the BJP and the Congress are worried about this.

Lok Sabha polls are scheduled on April 26 in Kerala.