LDF govt coming back to power, that is people's desire: Yechury

Reacting to Congress leader AK Antony's statement that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should not continue in power "as it will be a disaster to Kerala", CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said people's response in election campaigns clearly states that they want the continuation of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the state.

Speaking to reporters here today ahead of the State Assembly elections, Yechury said, "People will decide whether it is a disaster and whether the LDF continues or not. The people so far have decided that it is best for the people for the state to have the continuation of the LDF govt. It is clearly visible in all the campaigns that the LDF government is coming back to power and that is the desire of the people. People's assessment is entirely different from Antony's assessment."

Yechury's remarks came two days after former Defence Minister and Congress leader AK Antony had on Wednesday said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should not be allowed to continue in power as "it will be a threat to Kerala."

Further reacting to Antony's remarks that the devotees in Kerala would not forgive the CPI-M led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the state in the Sabarimala issue, the CPI-M General Secretary said that everybody knows that, unlike Congress, the CPI-M knows that faith is a personal choice and his party respects it.

He said, "Everybody knows in today's India, only one party, without any compromise, unlike the Congress party, upholds the principle of the fact of the reality, that is, choice of faith is an individual choice."

Yechury's remarks came after former Defence Minister and Congress leader AK Antony on Wednesday slammed the Left Democratic Front government in Kerala, blaming it for corruption, nepotism and breaking rituals of Sabarimala Temple.

Yechury further said that West Bengal never reported communal riots when the Left Front was in power in the state for 34 years, because his party has been committed to protecting people's choice of faith.

"We as a party and when we are in government, are committed to protecting this choice. In the 34-year-long reign (of the Left Front led by CPI and CPI-M) in West Bengal, not a single communal riot. Why? Because of this commitment," said the CPI-M General Secretary.

Stating that people were aware of CPI-M's respect for people's personal choice of faith, Yechury said that for them faith never interferes with politics and governance.

"People know that we respect personal faith. But no interference in politics, no interference in running the govt. That is secularism," he remarked.

The election for the 140-member Kerala Assembly will be held on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

( With inputs from ANI )