PM Modi slams CPI-M for 'robbing the poor' in Kerala, warns of action

Thiruvananthapuram: For the second time on the same day at different venues in Kerala, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) for "robbing the poor", saying "action would be taken against the corrupt".

After slamming Vijayan at his first election rally in Trissur district earlier on Monday, PM Modi arrived here at Kattakada and addressed a massive gathering during which he again criticised the Kerala Chief Minister.

"The CPI-M in Kerala has robbed the poor. In around 80 CPI-M controlled Cooperative banks, there were problems. The Trissur district CPI-M secretary has amassed assets worth Rs 100 crore," PM Modi said while adding that Vijayan was telling lies by saying that "the money will be returned".

"... but it is the Centre which will give the money back to the people who have deposited in these Cooperative banks, and their monies were looted by the CPI-M. By now, everyone knows about the involvement of Vijayan and his daughter in the matter of CMRL company (a Kochi-based mining firm currently under the scanner of the ED). Had Narendra Modi government been not there, this scam would have gone unnoticed," PM Modi said.

He further said: "All the corrupt will be taken into task. Due to the way the Kerala government is being run, the Treasury is empty and there is no money to even pay salaries. The funds from the Centre are used to repay the debts. The state government also went to the Supreme Court and they got a sound beating. It was said that the financial situation was appalling because of the poor governance and corruption."

Before ending his speech, PM Modi also urged those present in the rally to support the BJP and NDA candidates in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"The Left and the Congress have joined against us but I am not worried about that. I request all of you to vote for the BJP for a corruption-free government," PM Modi said.

Also present on the stage with PM Modi included BJP nominees in Kerala for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls -- Union Ministers Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Thiruvananthapuram LS seat) and V. Muraleedharan (Attingal LS seat); S. Krishnakumar (Kollam LS seat) and Kerala unit BJP president K. Surendran (Wayanad LS seat).