By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Sunday lashed out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remark that the Left government’s policies in Kerala have been wrong and not investment friendly. The CPI-M said that as the prime minister he should not have “stooped so low”.
“We take strong exception to his statement because when the prime minister says something like this, it will send wrong signals to the world when several people are planning to invest in the state. He should not behave like a ordinary Congress supporter because he is the PM of the country and people value his opinion. He should not have stooped this low,” CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters here.
“What the Left government adopted was an alternate strategy, and we have been able to stop the farmers’ suicides, which took place when the Congress ruled here. We put on track several state PSUs (public sector units) which were going down the drain. These are the advantages of our policies,” said Vijayan.
Manmohan Singh addressed two election rallies in the state Thursday and criticised at the Left government here for being unable to invite any investment for projects unlike in Mangalore and Coimbatore districts which border the state.
“We often ponder why neighbouring districts in nearby states have all become hubs for business activity but not Kerala. I am sorry to say that this is because of the wrong policies of the Left which are unfriendly for investment,” Manmohan Singh said.
Vijayan added: “The election will be over by (April) 16 and irrespective of who wins or loses, Kerala will be here. We feel disappointed when a PM speaks in negative language about Kerala.”
Vijayan also said that all the election survey results that show massive electoral loses for the Left Front will be proven totally wrong.
“The American imperialistic forces do not want the Left because they know we are not going to bow before them, unlike the present Manmohan Singh government. Poll surveys are part of that overall strategy to send out wrong messages. We will prove them wrong when the results come,” said Vijayan.
The Left Democratic Front currently holds 19 of the state’s 20 Lok Sabha seats. The state goes to polls April 16.