Wednesday, April 26 2006 15:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kozhikode: Asserting that the people of Kerala were keen to support the Congress-led UDF Government for another term, CWC member and former Chief Minister, A K Antony today (Apr 26, 2006) said, "The electorate is well aware that the state will be pushed back by several years if the CPI-M-led LDF is voted to power."

"After starting the election campaign on a rather dull note, we have picked up momentum across the state during the last week and now feel very confident that the UDF will retain power," he told a meet-the-press programme here.

Warning the electorate that the LDF's return would prove 'disastrous' to the state as it only believed in protests and always stood against development, Antony said "Even neutral voters are now making up their minds in our favour."

Claiming that the state was in utter chaos on all fronts when the UDF took over the reins five years back, he said "Now our growth rate of 9.2 per cent is well above the national average and there is no law and order problem anywhere."

On the series of communal and political violence that shook several parts of the Malabar region during the previous regime, Antony said, "Even though Marad violence broke out here, we were able to restore peace in a quick time."

"We are confident of gaining a majority of seats in the first phase of polls held on April 22 and the second phase scheduled for April 29 will prove crucial as it will decide who will rule Kerala for the next five years," he said.

Asked about Union Minister for Overseas Affairs, Vayalar Ravi's interview to a private TV channel that went against Antony's stand on Marad issue when he was the Chief Minister, he said, "I will reply after the Marad Commission report is made public."

Antony said the Opposition was raking up the Marad issue now only for political gains.

"All political parties were in agreement to resolve the issue earlier and now they are making it an election issue," he said.

Asked about his comments that Opposition leader, V S Achuthanandan would not prove a capable Chief Minister, he said, "I only mean that being an orthodox politician, he will not suit present-day politics."

"VS is a prisoner of old-day politics and only believes in protests. For that matter, the CPI(M), as a whole, does not support development of the state," Antony said.

On how the UDF was feeling confident even after suffering reverses in the Lok Sabha polls and recent panchayat elections, he said "We took the defeats in the right spirit and have corrected our mistakes."

On DIC(K), Antony said he was happy that Karunakaran's party had returned to the Congress family, mainly due to the initiatives taken by some UDF constituents.

"Everyone learns from experience," he said when asked if he did not feel sad that it was Karunakaran and his son, K Muraleedharan "who made life miserable" for him when he was the Chief Minister.