Congress president Rahul Gandhi with family members of slain Youth Congress worker Kripesh at his house in Per... Read More

KOZHIKODE: Congress president Rahul Gandhi kickstarted the UDF's poll campaign with a blistering attack on both BJP and CPM, and repeated promises he made during his Kochi speech in January on how Congress, if brought back to power, would ensure a 'minimum income guarantee scheme' for the poor, 33% reservation for women in parliament and state assemblies, apart from tackling issues related to education and health on a war footing.

Addressing a massive rally at Kozhikode beach on Thursday, Rahul slammed demonetisation and GST, and targeted prime minister Narendra Modi for weakening major institutions in the country, including the Supreme Court and election commission. "The man who imposes his Mann Ki Baat on India is attacking all our institutions one after the other," the Congress president said.

Though Congress is trying to work out 'tactical adjustments' with CPM in Bengal, Rahul refused to spare the Left party in Kerala , saying that the only thing CPM is capable of is violence and that its ideology was "deformed". "I think the CPM will take some more time to realise that their ideology is defunct. They are clutching at straws," the Congress president said.

Earlier in the day, Rahul visited the houses of the two Youth Congress workers who were brutally murdered last month at Periya in Kasaragod district , allegedly by CPM, and said that he would ensure that those guilty would be punished. "I understand that these families haven't got justice, but we will do the needful once we come to power," he said. His first public engagement of the day was at Triprayar where he inaugurated the maiden National Fish Workers' Parliament and promised the creation of a separate ministry for the fishery sector.

At the Kozhikode rally, Rahul launched a broadside at the CPM-led government, saying the Left party thinks it can remain in power only through violence. "There are no jobs. Three lakh women in the cashew industry have lost their jobs... many cashew processing units have been closed," he said.

‘It’s an ideological battle’

Referring to the killing of Youth Congress activists Kripesh and Sarath Lal, Rahul said: “No Way. I want to tell you that Kerala is the land of justice. These two people (Kripesh and Sarath Lal) will get justice. Those who did it to them would face justice.”

Emphasizing ‘justice’, he said, “The Congress party is not going to allow anybody to get away from justice. It doesn’t matter even if he is the Prime Minister of India”. Pointing out that he was happy to come to a state where people of different ideas and religions live together happily, he said an “ideological battle” was being played out in the country today. “Congress does not want to impose anything on India... The Congress party wants to listen to what people have to say and act accordingly”, the Congress president said.

