Friday, March 3 2006 17:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kannur: Terming as 'unwarranted' the Election Commission's decision to hold three-phased assembly polls in a politically literate and geographically smaller state like Kerala, the Congress(S) today(Mar 3,2006) said such a step would spread fear among voters.

"The prevailing political situation in a smaller state like Kerala does not warrant holding assembly polls in a phased manner, when a similar poll is scheduled in a single phase in Tamil Nadu, where its coastal areas face constant threats from the LTTE rebels," party state president Ramachandran Kadannappally told a press conference here.

Ramachandran, whose party is an ally of the opposition CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front, alleged that the EC's decision on holding phased assembly polls in the state was influenced by the ruling UDF combine.

He evaded a direct reply to question on what difficulties political parties had in holding elections in phased manner, saying "This is not a healthy trend and the prevailing situation in Kerala does not warrant taking such a step".

Terming as 'unfortunate', the government's moves to spread fear among voters, Ramachandran said the LDF had the upper hand and would emerge victorious in the ensuing elections, despite the front rejecting the support extended by the K Karunakaran led DIC-K in the polls.

Ramachandran said the party's north zone convention would be held here on March 5, in which CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan would deliver the Pamban Madhavan Memorial speech. The party's South Zone meet would be held in Kottayam on March 18.