Three-time Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony contended that things have reached a stage when all want a change in the governance in Kerala.
NEW DELHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — Three-time Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony on Wednesday said that the days of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government in the state are numbered and his Congress-led UDF will win a handsome victory in the April 6 Assembly elections.
Addressing the media in Delhi, Antony, who holds the record of being the Defence Minister of the country for the maximum period, contended that things have reached a stage when all want a change in the governance in Kerala.
“The days of Pinarayi Vijayan government is numbered as there is no doubt that Kerala will have a Congress Chief Minister… who that will be, will be decided after the elections. Cutting across communities, the common feeling that has now come out is there will be total communal harmony, only if the UDF returns to power,” he said.
Antony played down the internal feuds that have broken out in the party after the list of candidates of his party came out on Sunday.
“I can understand the emotions and feelings of the Congress aspirants who missed out. The party high command never intervenes and this time, the list surfaced after several rounds of discussions and deliberations. I have full faith in my party workers as they are determined to see the end of the present government,” he said.
“Did you all not see the wrangling in cadre parties like the CPI-M and the BJP. There was a furore all around, while the Congress party is an open house and this happens. Just take a look into our list and see the number of youngsters in the list… no party can lay such a claim,” he added.
On the high-profile electoral battle at Nemom – the sole Kerala seat held by the BJP, he said that it is an important election and the result is very evident – that the son of legendary Chief Minister K. Karunakaran, K. Muraleedharan, who is the Congress candidate, will be the victor.
Antony, however, declined to comment on his colleague P.C. Chacko’s decision to quit the Congress and join the Nationalist Congress Party. — IANS
