Congress-CPI-M responsible for Kerala’s industrial backwardness: BJP

Thiruvananthapuram: BJP’s Kerala in charge and former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday blamed the “callous approach” of the traditional fronts – the Congress-led UDF and CPI-M-led LDF – for the state’s industrial backwardness.

“Kerala accounts for a mere six percent of the foreign direct investment of the country. The state ranks 28th in the ease of business category. Youth are all going out of the state to seek jobs. This is a serious issue which needs to be discussed,” Javadekar said.

He said that few cases have also been reported where people who started small ventures came under attack while the Left government failed to take corrective steps.

“With such an attitude, who will invest in Kerala? KITEX opened in Telangana. When BMW decided to consider opening here, they were greeted with a shutdown. Likewise, 90,000 jobs were envisages at the Kochi IT park. We only got 3,000. Companies like Hindustan Unilever, Ceat Tyres have invested in other states. It’s the Kerala youth which is working in all these factories,” the senior BJP leader said.

He alleged that all these development are taking place because of the wrong policies and there is animosity towards private investors.

“If this continues, there will be more number of people who will be going out of the state,” Javadekar said.

Kerala, right from inception, has been either ruled by CPI-M or the Congress. The BJP has no presence in the 140-member Assembly presently and only one legislator during 2016-21.