Modi criss-crosses Kerala, attacks Congress, CPI-M

Thiruvananthapuram, May 8 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday criss-crossed Kerala while campaigning for National Democratic Alliance candidates in the May 16 assembly elections and attacked both the ruling UDF and the opposition LDF in the state.

Starting his campaign in Kasargode district, Modi took a potshot at the political rivals by saying that while in West Bengal the Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Congress had 'dosti' (friendship), it's 'kushti' (fight) in Kerala.

"In Bengal, CPI-M leaders praise the Congress and its leaders while in Kerala the very same party call the Congress a corrupt party. The literate Keralites should rise to the occasion and end this politics of adjustment between these two parties," said Modi.

"What is happening in Kerala between the CPI-M and the Congress is the politics of adjustment, politics of compromise and the politics of corruption as these two fronts alternate in power every five years," the prime minister said.

Modi later in the afternoon spoke at a rally near Alappuzha.

"It's going to be two years since we assumed power in Delhi. There hasn't been a single corruption allegation against us, while you all know what happened during the previous Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government's rule," he said.

On Sunday evening, Modi flew into the state capital and again lashed out at the United Democratic Front, led by the Congress, and Left Democratic Front, led by the CPI-M.

"Gone are the days when the Kerala model was appreciated all over the world. Today, all the gains have disappeared. Unemployment has risen like never before, forcing your youth to leave their aged parents here and search for jobs elsewhere. In seven of the last 10 years, agricultural growth has been negative and the reason for this is because of the alternating Left and right governments," Modi said.

The prime minister also spoke of corruption cases allegedly involving Congress leaders, like the AgustaWestland chopper deal and the solar scam in the state.

It was Modi's second visit to Kerala in the last few days.

He is scheduled to return on Wednesday for an election meeting at Ernakulam.