Suresh Prabhu says Kerala has the potential to excel

When a reinvigorated Congress under Rahul Gandhi is taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “ill-conceived and executed” policies and silence in the face of setbacks, he has an admirer in Congress MP K.V. Thomas.

Mr. Thomas on Friday called Mr. Modi an able administrator, who has the capability to convince others about the decisions and actions taken by him. “I have realised it on several occasions,” Mr. Thomas said, while inaugurating the concluding session of the two-day national management convention held by the Kerala Management Association.

On demonetisation and the implementation of GST, Mr. Modi was able to convincingly put across the stance taken by him, Mr Thomas said.

Regardless of whether the decisions were right or wrong, he was able to do it. Administration, Mr. Thomas said, was a scientific skill in which Mr. Modi had expertise. Mr. Thomas, while working as chairman of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, had sought an explanation from Mr. Modi on demonetisation and the response was that things would all be fine by December 31. “What he said was right. There was no riot in the country.”

Mr. Thomas also said that he was able to communicate better with Mr. Modi than with leaders of his own party. If the Congress had faced several roadblocks starting with the Bofors scam, Mr. Modi was able to surmount them all with his peculiar management skill, Mr. Thomas said. He criticised Keralites for their “double standards” on issues such as development of National Highways, laying of pipelines for supply of gas, mobile tower installation and cable installation.

Union Commerce and Industries Minister Suresh Prabhu, who addressed the function through video-conferencing, said Kerala possessed the strength and resources to be the most popular State in India. He urged organisations such as the KMA to think of ways to utilise the hard-working, sincere Malayali workforce for the development and growth of the State.