KOTTAYAM: Defending Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s statement on Kerala during election campaign, BJP state president K Surendran said there was no point in comparing the development index of a large state like UP with Kerala.
Addressing mediapersons in Kottayam, Surendran said Uttar Pradesh with a population of 23.7 crore is being compared to Kerala with a population of 3.5 crore, which is not at all fair. “Yogi has set up 76 medical colleges in the state in five years. Unprecedented development is taking place in Uttar Pradesh. Yogi has brought about great changes in five years in a state ruled by the Congress, BSP and SP for several years,” he said.
Surendran added that Pinarayi was creating a controversy by interpreting criticism against the state government as an insult to Kerala. “This conspiracy is to divert attention from underlying issues. Kerala is not above criticism. Kerala has become a nursery of terrorism. Four PFI workers were arrested in UP during last one year in connection with terrorism activities. How can criticism against the mistakes of Kerala government be termed as an anti-Kerala statement,” he said.