Sulthan Bathery (Wayanad): Giving a fillip to the well-oiled poll machinery of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Wayanad, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday urged Kerala to repeat the 2004 Lok Sabha results.
The LDF had won 18 out of 20 seats in 2004.
In Wayanad, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) is taking on Congress president Rahul Gandhi, whose candidature had created much discomfiture to the CPM and the LDF.
The LDF has vowed to move heaven and earth to defeat Rahul, citing that the Congress president's move has send a wrong message to the electorate.
After the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Wayanad will be part of India's contemporary history, he said.
“The victory that you will give to LDF candidate P P Suneer (CPI) will go down in history as the victory of modern democracy,” he said.
Urging the voters of Kerala to elect all the 20 candidates fielded by the LDF, Yechury said the people of the country expect the state to give a direction during a crisis period.
He said the poll outcome will decide whether India will remain a secular democratic republic or not.
“In 2004, Kerala elected 18 out of 20 Left candidates despite knowing that the Congress would form a government at the Centre. That's the maturity I salute,” he said.
Taking credit for forcing the UPA-I government for implementing several pro-poor steps including MGNREGA, right to food and right to education, he stressed the need for a strong presence of the Left in Parliament to ensure that a secular government is formed.
He attacked the Modi government on a host of issues such as agrarian distress, unemployment, electoral bonds and corruption and crony-capitalism over Rafale deal.
Slamming PM Modi for claiming that a new BJP government at the Centre would protect the culture of Kerala, Yechury said, “You (BJP) have dehumanised society whereas Kerala humanises society. Kerala is the only state where human beings are treated as human beings”.
Yechury reiterated the LDF's stance that Rahul Gandhi should not have contested from Kerala.
“Congress also says that an alternative secular government should be formed at the Centre. Its leader is fighting from Kerala where BJP is not a force. Who is your target then,” he asked.
Alluding to Rahul's recent remarks that Kerala is a role model to the entire country, Yechury said the Kerala model was made possible only because of the foundations laid by the first communist government in the state.
Criticising the Congress' ambitious 'Nyay' scheme where in the government would give Rs 72,000 a year to the poor families of the country, and the BJP government's kisan samman scheme (Rs 6,000 to farmers per year) Yechury said people don't need charity but their rights.
Yechury also attended a mega roadshow in which state Health Minister K K Shailaja, Transport Minister A K Saseendran and Kalpetta MLA C K Saseendran attended.
