Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], February 21: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday highlighted the state's focus on development, communal harmony, and industrial growth, asserting that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government maintains a uniform approach against all forms of communalism.
Addressing the public here, Vijayan said Kerala's lack of communal issues has aided development, with no clashes in the past ten years. He added that the LDF opposes all communal forces and will take a strict stand if conflicts arise.
"Absence of communal issues in Kerala has been helpful for development. There have been no communal clashes in the past ten years. Communal conflicts did occur during the rule of the UDF. The government will not side with any form of communalism. The LDF government maintains a uniform approach of opposing all communal forces. If any communal conflict arises, the government will take a strict stand," the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister stressed the importance of confidence and self-reliance in achieving the state's development goals.
"What we need is not the inferiority mindset that says small Kerala, but the confidence that says great Kerala. We are not waiting for anyone's mercy; we are striving to move forward on our own strength. Nava Kerala is not an impossible goal. There are challenges and opportunities ahead. We must double our domestic production. Our standard of living should be on par with that of developed countries. That is the goal of the coming Left government. We must recognise the challenges and overcome them," he added.
Vijayan also noted Kerala's progress despite financial constraints from the Centre.
"We achieved our accomplishments at a time when the Central Government was financially squeezing Kerala. We are on the right path of development. We should not become satisfied and slow down because of this; we need to increase our pace toward the goal," he said.
On industrial growth, the Chief Minister said the perception of Kerala as unsuitable for industry has changed.
"Before 2016, did anyone feel that Kerala would become an industry-friendly state? The general perception was that it was not suitable for industry. Now, large-scale investments are taking place across all sectors. Not every industry is suitable for us, and we are promoting only those industries that are appropriate for Kerala," Vijayan added.
Kerala is expected to go to the polls before May 2026; no official date has been announced by the Election Commission of India.
Multiple political parties have started gearing up and strategising for the polls, with a high-stakes triangular battle set to unfold between the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the United Democratic Front (UDF), and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Both the BJP-led NDA and Congress-led UDF seek to unseat the incumbent Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led LDF and gain control of the 140-member assembly. The LDF-led government has governed the state for around a decade.