Muraleedharan: 'Candidate list for Kerala shows aim to emulate Modi's model of governance'

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Monday asserted that the candidate list of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for Kerala shows that the party aims to establish in the State the Narendra Modi model of governance. 

"The government of Narendra Modi ruling the country for the last six years has been successful in implementing pro-people policies, and this is the model BJP would like to emulate in Kerala," he said, outlining that this was the reason why the party fielded Metro man E Sreedharan to contest from Palakkad. 

Talking about picking KJ Alphons, he said, "He has been the Development Commissioner of Delhi, and even during his stint as MLA, has the record of doing the highest number of development activities". Thereafter, he pointed out that the objective of the party is to go in accordance with the pulse of Kerala society that likes to have Narendra Modi model of governance which he called "free from corruption and famous for fast-paced development."

Attack on rival parties

Muraleedharan also took the opportunity to talk about rival parties. Highlighting intense group rivalry within the Congress, he said, "Each group is trying to show they can counter BJP better."  Questioning the party for fielding an MP against the candidate of BJP Nemom, he said, "The same candidate was called to fight for the Vadakara seat, to get the Vattiyookavu seat and now for the Nemom seat. Does it mean that all other Congress leaders are irrelevant, Is K Muraleedharan the only person who can fight BJP?

Hitting out at LDF's claims about an increase in pension and the food kit distribution during the COVID-19 crisis, he said," All these things are part of Garib Kalyan Yojana being implemented by Modi government. We gave food grains up to the month of November and a portion of it has given through fair price shops in Kerala" 

Out of the 140 seats in the Assembly, BJP has announced 112 candidates. The rest of the seats will be contested by alliance partners, including BDJS, AIADMK, Janadhipathya, Rashtriya Sabha and Kamaraj Congress. Kerala will go to the polls in a single phase to elect 140 members to the State assembly, and the counting of votes will take place on May 2. 

(Inputs from ANI)