The Hindu 27.09.2010
LDF will win local body polls on State government’s works, says Kodiyeri
Staff Reporter
Kozhikode: Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said here on Sunday that the performance of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the State during the last four and a half years would help the front emerge victorious in the elections to the local bodies.
Inaugurating a meeting to announce the LDF candidates for the City Corporation elections, Mr. Balakrishnan said the government had carried out development activities estimated at Rs.43,000 crore. Nearly Rs.16,000 crore had been set aside for local bodies leading to the overall development of rural areas.
More than 18 lakh families benefited from several welfare measures. No poverty deaths were being reported. More than 45 lakh families were getting rice at Rs.2 a kg. Earlier the scheme was meant for the below poverty line ration card holders. But the scheme had been extended to benefit fishermen community, physically challenged people, autorickshaw drivers and all Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe families, he said.
The government revived several sick factories and opened closed public sector units, and consequently made a profit of Rs.600 crore. During the United Democratic Front (UDF) rule, several factories had been closed. The then Industries Minister, P.K. Kunhalikutty, dismissed 3,500 employees.
He said nearly 50 Assembly constituencies had been fully electrified. All the 140 constituencies would be completely electrified during the tenure of the government. Palakkad district achieved the distinction of being the first district in the country to be fully electrified.
He said the law-and-order situation had improved considerably. Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai, during his visit to the State, had pointed out that the law and order was better in Kerala than in other States.
He said the Congress leaders believed that their candidates would win the local body elections as in the Lok Sabha elections in 2009. The situation had changed now going by the trends witnessed in the recent by-elections in various States.
People were fed up of the policies of the Centre. The common man was reeling under pressure from rise in prices of essential commodities. The prices of petroleum products increased once in two week. Only the corporates benefited from Congress rule.
Even the Indian National Trade Union Congress, an affiliate of the Congress, was compelled to take part in an all-India strike called by the trade unions on September 7, he said.
