AK Antony to begin state-wide road show

Moving the ruling UDF's campaign to high gear, Chief Minister AK Antony is set to begin his fortnight long road show tomorrow from Hosangadi in northernmost Kasargode district to cover all the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the length and breadth of Kerala.

UDF contestants, especially the Congress aspirants, locked in fierce combat with the CPI-M-led LDF throughout and with the BJP in a few seats, have great expectations from the Antony-led campaign as the ruling coalition had lagged behind its rivals in the initial rounds of electioneering.

Touching all the 140 Assembly segments, Antony and leaders of the UDF constituents will focus on issues like the need for a Congress-led set up at the Centre to safeguard secularism by ending the BJP rule, sources said.

The main aim of the campaign is to take the message of Congress unity down to the grassroots level as in many places the party aspirants are facing problem of disunity, they said.

Facing tough challenge from the CPI-M, the campaign has been named "Kerala Navothana Yatra" to reinforce UDF's pet theme that "the Marxists in Kerala are a threat to the state's development."

In Antony's own words "CPI-M is a party that lost relevance and it should strive itself to overcome the destructive mindset."

The campaign will end on May 4 in Valiyathura in the state capital with a rally.