AK Antony claims it will be impossible for BJP to come to power

Kasargod (Ker): Claiming that it would be impossible for BJP to form a government at the Centre, Defence Minister AK Antony today said the Congress-led UPA would try to form a secular government after the elections.

“I am sure we will succeed in it,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an election meeting here.

AK Antony. AFP

He said to keep the communal forces at bay from coming to power at the Centre, they would accept cooperation from all secular parties.

“If the CPI-M was sincere in their pronounced aim to keep the communal forces at bay, they will have to cooperate with a front under Congress leadership. If they cooperate, we will accept it,” he said.

Antony said there is a favourable climate for th Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala.

“The people of the state are happy with the performance of the UDF government. They are also satisfied with the sympathetic approach shown by the UPA government at the Centre towards Kerala,” he said.

“We are getting good support from the people this time than in the last polls. Youngsters are showing reluctance towards CPI(M),” he said.

Antony claimed that 80 per cent of the youngsters would favour the UDF.

To a query on the Kerala High Court pulling up the Office of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and ordering a CBI probe into the land grab cases involving his former gunman Salim Raj, Antony opined that Chandy need not resign.

“The government as well as the Congress party have welcomed the court decision on the CBI probe. The court had been informed of this stand before it issued orders. So, in this circumstance there is no need for Chandy to resign,” he had said yesterday.

Earlier, speaking at an election campaign meeting in support of UDF’s T Siddique, Antony said UDF would register a record victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

The UPA government at the Centre had been very considerate to the demands of the Kerala government in the matter of development, he said.

Antony also addressed election meetings at Payyannoor and Kanhangad.

PTI

AK Antony claims it will be impossible for BJP to come to power