THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Though he expressed confidence that SilverLine project will be successfully implemented with people’s support, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday refused to link the semi high-speed rail project to the outcome of the May 31 Thrikkakara assembly bypoll. “All electoral outcomes need not be linked to it (SilverLine).
Even in areas that saw anti- SilverLine protests, LDF won recently (in the local body byelection),” he told reporters on the first anniversary of the second LDF government. He also evaded a direct reply on whether the bypoll would be a referendum on the government’s rule. “People gave more votes to LDF in the recent local body bypoll than in the previous election. Each election has its own peculiarities.
Let’s see,” he said. On the laying of stones for SilverLine’s social impact assessment survey, Pinarayi said the recent government order — which said the survey can be carried out without laying the stones — had brought clarity to the matter. He said his government performed impressively in the past one year and fulfilled its responsibilities despite crises. Claiming that people’s support for the LDF government was soaring, as was evident in the local body bypoll, Pinarayi said his government will successfully implement all its declared projects.
Cong chief booked not at our behest: Pinarayi
On state Congress president K Sudhakaran’s ‘dog with broken chain’ remark against him, Pinarayi said it reflected the culture of the person who said it. He also disagreed with Sudhakaran’s clarification that the remark was not objectionable as per local parlance in the Malabar region. “Let society assess whether such utterances are proper,” the CM said, adding the government was not keen on legally moving against Sudhakaran “The case against him was not registered at the government’s behest,” he said.
On the decision of K V Thomas to support the LDF, the chief minister said it would definitely help the Left front. Hailing the ousted Congress leader’s decision to join hands with LDF as a “brave stance”, Pinarayi said the veteran leader had realised that LDF stood for development while UDF was adopting an anti-development stance.