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Thiruvananthapuram: Hitting out hard at the BJP, former defence minister A.K. Antony on Saturday said the party is "trying to destroy the peaceful communal atmosphere of the state and hoped the party is not able to open its account in the Kerala assembly.
Talking to reporters here, Antony also attacked the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). He said that in order to keep up the tempo of the development activities in Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is the "best bet.
The senior Congress leader said the single point agenda of the BJP is to finish off the Congress party.
"They did it in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Now they are aiming to do the same in Kerala. If one compares with the recent past, things that have never happened in Kerala are happening now. The BJP is trying to destroy the peaceful communal scenario in the state. It's my ardent wish that the BJP is not allowed to open its account in the Kerala assembly, said Antony.
Attacking the CPI-M, he said: "The CPI-M is in slumber and it wakes up now and then. Before it wakes up, precious time would elapse; that's what Kerala saw when it came to modernisation in the coir industry. They (Left) first opposed it. It was the same story when tractors were introduced, as they opposed the move. They kicked up a ruckus when computers were first introduced. When they wake up, they try to do something, but then it happens 25 years too late.
He also stated that both the BJP and CPI-M have to "end the politics of murder and violence and only then can peace prevail in Kerala.
Antony brushed aside the spate of allegations dogging the Oommen Chandy government, saying the CPI-M is the biggest proponent of the "allegation industry".
"They thrive on that. They did it against Karunakaran and myself. Allegation are one thing, corruption is something else. This government has taken the state to new heights. In order to keep up the tempo of the development, the UDF has to return," said Antony.
Asked to predict which front would win in the May 16 poll, he said, during his visit here three weeks back, the Left had an edge.
"Now when I take stock, I find the rival fronts are on an equal footing. This is good news because in the past, the UDF has raced forward in a flash when the campaign reaches the last leg, said Antony, a three-time former chief minister.
Antony's election campaign begins on Sunday from Kasargode district in north Kerala and will pass through all the 14 districts of the state and end here on May 14. Kerala goes to the polls to elect 140 legislators on May 16.
