State will focus on welfare, infra development: CM

‘BJP and Congress following same set of policies’

References to the history of mass struggles led by Communists in Kerala and the track record of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, on its second term in a row, were replete at the inaugural of the 23rd party congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and Chief Minister and Pinarayi Vijayan used the occasion to hold forth on the State government’s equal focus on “rapid development of infrastructure and ensuring social security”.

Welcoming the 800-odd delegates of the party from across the country to Kannur, the district that was the cradle of the Communist movement in Kerala, Mr. Vijayan, chairman of the party congress reception committee, said that despite the pressures on fiscal federalism, the State government was able to successfully implement alternative policies.

He reiterated the promises of eliminating extreme poverty, ensuring food security, clean environment, making Internet a basic right of every citizen and revitalising agriculture while creating a favourable environment for small and medium scale industries.

He said while the government was providing secure homes to homeless families, it was also trying its best to implement a semi-high speed rail system.

“Our government believes in developing infrastructure while doing justice by ensuring fair compensation to people who have to come out of their homes. Our party is organising mass campaigns to drive home this point. Economic growth, social justice and protection of environment are being given equal importance…,” he said.

Mr. Vijayan also made a reference to the ‘Nava Keralam’ document adopted by the party at its Kerala State conference, saying it was modelled after a similar resolution in 1956. The new document, he assured the party congress, would go a long way in ushering in a modern Kerala that on the one hand redresses the grievances of the downtrodden and on the other, builds up a modern developed State.

He slammed the Congress and the BJP for following the same set of policies. “Our party along with other Left parties has been consistently organising mass movements against these anti-people measures…,” he said. Mr. Vijayan also said that his party’s opponents, including the Sangh Parivar, other communal organisations and the Congress, were resorting to mindless violence” against his party cadres.