Fight in the Lok Sabha elections has narrowed between Congress and BJP: Oomen Chandy

COIMBATORE: Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy today said the fight in the Lok Sabha elections has narrowed between Congress and BJP, each representing different ideologies. Though there were many players in the battle at the national level, the choice of the people of late had come down to the two parties, with different ideologies, the Congress leader told reporters here.

Claiming that the people would definitely accept the Congress slogan of stable government and secular India, Chandy alleged BJP was trying to get advantage through division among the people, which would not succeed. On the perceived Modi wave and Gujarat model, he said there was no no such wave and Kerala remained at the top in various fields. He said Congress-led UDF would win more than 15 of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, which went to polls on April 10.

Replying to a question, he said Kerala maintained good relationship with all states, particularly Tamil Nadu. On the Mullaperiyar Dam issue, he said there was no problem in releasing water from it. The only contention was that Kerala wanted to strengthen the dam, considering the safety of the people of five districts downstream. To a question on illegal quarrying going in Palakkad district, he said it was not not brought to his attention. +we will take action, if there is any violation, he said.