Date:12/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/12/stories/2006051211500500.htm

Kerala - Kottayam

Development agenda will run its course: Chandy

Staff Reporter

To put in his papers today

Accepts the prime responsibility for the defeat

KOTTAYAM: The outgoing Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, said here on Thursday that despite the defeat of the United Democratic Front (UDF) at the hustings, no future Government in the State would be able to turn the clock back on the `development agenda,' which his Government had brought in. Mr. Chandy also said that he would put in his papers on Friday.

Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Chandy, who looked upset at the turn of events, despite the biggest-ever personal victory at his home constituency of Puthuppally, said he himself accepted the prime responsibility for the defeat. He and his colleagues would accept the people's verdict in all humility. "But this defeat was unexpected," he said.

According to him, there was an unprecedented unity in the Congress and the UDF, and the Government had done a good job, within a lot of constraints, during the past five years. "During the campaign, no anti-Government feeling could be seen among the people," he said.

Asked if it was a case of people rejecting his `development agenda,' Mr. Chandy responded in the negative, and said the UDF Government has gone a long way in that direction, and no Government in future would be able to turn back the State from the path it had taken. "All other States are on the path to development. We can no longer conduct ourselves the old way," he said. The UDF Government had set the development agenda and the Left Democratic Front, which is coming to power, had no other way but follow it. "It is impossible for any future Government to change it," he added.

However, the people had asked the UDF to sit in the Opposition and it would play its role expected of in a democratic system, Mr. Chandy said.

Mr. Chandy refused to identify any issue which had contributed to the debacle, and said the party would have to go in for a study, in detail, to arrive at a conclusion and work out modalities to effect necessary changes, if needed.

Asked if the defeat of a large number of his Cabinet colleagues reflected popular antipathy to his governance, Mr. Chandy said, "In that case, I too should have been defeated."