Kerala not progressing due to Left's flawed policies: PM

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Taking on Kerala's Left Democratic Front government, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said the state was not progressing enough because of the 'flawed policies' of the Communists who bank on 'ideology for political opportunism'.

Addressing a packed Nehru Stadium, the Prime Minister said: "Kerala is dear to all of us in Delhi and in the last seven years the UPA government has given numerous projects to your state, but the state government is not doing its best to implement the Central projects and instead they say that the centre is neglecting the state, which you should know is a false campaign."

"The main reason why your state is not making the desired progress is because of the flawed polices of the Left. They have failed to realise that the world around us is fast changing and instead they bank on their ideology for political opportunism. Just look at what has happened in Bengal after 30 years of their rule," said Manmohan Singh to loud applause each time he targetted the V.S. Achuthanandan government.

He also pointed out that Kerala has 'failed miserably' in taking up the hugely popular and beneficial programmes like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Urging the people to vote for the Congress-led United Democratic Front, the Prime Minister asked them not to be misled by the false campaigns of the Left.

"The unemployment in your state has gone up during the rule of this Left government. No new units have come up in the manufacturing sector under private initiative. There have been widespread reports of corruption in appointment in government jobs and it is only the CPI-M activists who have benefited," he said.

The Prime Minister promised that if a Congress-led government takes over it would lead to better cooperation between the state and the Centre. "We have full faith in you that you will do what you did in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and the local bodies elections in 2010 when you gave us a thumping victory. We assure you that our government will be one which has a forward looking policy and will see that the state becomes the number one in the country," said Manmohan Singh appealing for votes.

The Prime Minister is to address another meeting at Kollam after which he returns to Delhi.

Meanwhile, All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi began a two-day election campaign from Kochi in the morning.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi addressed election rallies in the state early this week and also blamed the Left government for all the ills and the lack of progress in the state under the five-years of Achuthanandan. Kerala goes to the polls April 13 to elect a 140-member Assembly.