Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Sudhakaran on Monday asked if the Left Democratic Front government would be ready to shelve the K-Rail project in the event of the United Democratic Front won the Thrikkakara byelection.
He dared Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to face the byelection on that condition. If the K-Rail survey stone-laying was halted in view of the bypoll, it smacked of political bankruptcy.
Mr. Sudhakaran said stone-laying was halted in the wake of fervent protests by the Congress and the UDF. The government should now withdraw cases filed against protesters and repay the fine levied from the public. It should also make public the amount that was spent on survey stone-laying.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan termed the stopping of survey stone-laying a victory for the protesters. Both Mr. Sudhakaran and Mr. Satheesan were in town campaigning for UDF candidate Uma Thomas.
LDF convener E.P. Jayarajan accused the Congress of following the communal agenda of the Sangh Parivar and said the LDF would improve the lifestyle of the people of Thrikkakara. The government was bringing development by mobilising funds outside of the Budget but the Opposition now had no words against KIIFB, he said, campaigning for LDF candidate Jo Joseph.
Meanwhile, P.K. Krishnadas of the Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that the UDF and the LDF enjoyed the backing of extremist forces and it was the need of these forces to ensure that these fronts formed government in the State alternately.
He was inaugurating the central election committee office of National Democratic Alliance candidate A.N. Radhakrishnan.
