Monday, April 24 2006 13:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kochi: CWC member and former Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony today (Apr 24, 2006) emphasised the need for the UDF to return to power to continue its development works.

Addressing a meet-the-press programme of the Ernakulam press club here, he said the UDF was seeking a vote to continue the development works undertaken during its five yearrule, while the opposition Left Democratic front (LDF) was against development.

Antony pointed out that many projects, including the Vallarpadom international transhipment container terminal, Kayamkulam Power project, the LNG terminal in Kochi and International Container Terminal at Vizhijam were started during the UDF rule in the state.

Due to the 'good governance' of the UDF government, Kerala had achieved over nine per cent economic growth in the last one year, he claimed.

Pointing out that Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan had always opposed changes in all fields, he said the UDF government had given a thrust to development, which the peopleof the state badly needed.

Stating that the CPI(M) has a different set of development policies for West Bengal, where it is in power and another forKerala, where it is the main opposition, he said the party was trying to make Bengal an 'industrial destination' and adopting an 'anti-development and anti-investment policy' in Kerala.

On exit poll predictions favouring the LDF, he said such predictions had 'failed miserably' in the past, examples being those conducted during the last Lok Sabha elections, which favoured the return of the BJP-led NDA to power.

Antony said the CPI-M,which had "always stood against development," had accepted it as the agenda in the election, but the people of the state was 'scanning' the stand adopted by Achuthanandan in the past.

Pointing out that the UDF would get a clear majority in the first phase of polling held in six districts of the state, Antony said in Alapuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki districts, the UDF would get a clear majority.

"In the second phase polling in six districts which will go to the polls on April 29, the UDF enjoys a clear advantage," he claimed.

"It was to safeguard the country's secular credentials and to keep the BJP at bay, the UPA government at the Centre had taken the support of left front," he said.

Criticising the reported statements by CPI(M) that in the event of the party winning in Kerala and West Bengal, it would reconsider extending support to the UPA government, Antony said it would be dangerous for the country if the UPA government became weak and it would only help the BJP. The law and order situation in the state under the UDF government was "top" in the country, Antony said.