UDF convenor optimistic about Thrikkakara bypolls; questions CM on SilverLine

While addressing a press conference in Kochi on Monday, the United Democratic Front (UDF) Convenor MM Hassan cited the probabilities of the Thrikkakara bypolls and asked the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan if the SilverLine project will be dropped if Left Democratic Front (LDF) loses elections. The Thrikkakara bypolls are scheduled to be conducted on May 31, whose votes will be counted on June 3.

The SilverLine Project, initiated by the state government during its second term, is a semi high-speed rail project that aims at connecting Kasaragod in north Kerala to Thiruvananathapuram in the south, minimizing the twelve-hour distance to four hours.

"The UDF meeting finalized the campaign activities in the Thrikkakara bypoll. The bypoll result will see the reaction of the people against the anti-people policies of the state government (Communist Party of India (Marxist)) and the inflation that has made the lives of the people miserable," Hassan said.

"The bypoll will be an assessment of the administration of this state government. People have suffered (inflation), including rising cooking gas prices. Even prices of medicines have increased. What steps have both governments taken to save the people from inflation?" he added further.

"This bypoll is a golden opportunity to respond to the suffering of the people for a year," Hassan asserted while alleging that the LDF and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made hollow claims and the former (LDF) had stopped activities for the welfare (of the state) during the UDF government.

In order to win in Thrikkakara, the UDF leaders will be campaigning here from Sunday (i.e., May 15). "It does not matter if the ministers, the chief minister or the prime minister come for the campaign," he said.

He also said that the ex-Congress leader KV Thomas is not a decisive factor in Thrikkakara.

( With inputs from ANI )