Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), accusing them of “deceiving” the people of Kerala for decades.Addressing a public meeting in the Paravoor Assembly constituency, Singh said the two alliances may appear different but are similar in their politics and governance.“Both the LDF and the UDF have been deceiving the hardworking and honest people of Kerala for decades. Their flags and election symbols may be different, but their conduct and character are the same. Their thinking is also the same. Both have worked to divide society and ruin Kerala’s economy,” Singh said.“The people of Kerala do not vote to choose the LDF or UDF; rather, they vote to oust one of these two from power. But unfortunately, the other one automatically comes to power.”Stepping up his criticism, Singh also accused both alliances of corruption and poor governance.“The people of Kerala know that LDF means Loot, Division, and Failure. And UDF means Untrustworthy, Dishonesty, and Fraud. The ‘F’ in both stands for ‘Front for Corruption’,” he added.His remarks come as the BJP-led NDA intensified its campaign in Kerala ahead of the April 9 Assembly elections, with the alliance seeking to expand its footprint in a state long dominated by the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF.The LDF, headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan, has been in power for nearly a decade.Meanwhile, NDA candidate Anoop Antony from Thiruvalla expressed confidence over the BJP’s prospects, saying the party’s vote share has steadily increased over the years and that voters are now looking for a credible alternative.The Kerala Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting scheduled for May 4.
