Date:18/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/18/stories/2008081853760400.htm

New Delhi

Antony not to contest from State

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Sunday ruled out the possibility of his contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Kerala.

Responding to speculation about his exploring chances at the hustings from various constituencies, including Thiruvananthapuram, he said: “I am not going to contest the Lok Sabha elections from anywhere in the State.”

The question came up during a briefing called by the Minister here to announce the setting up of a unit of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) in Kasaragod district.

Asked if he favoured the Malabar area of Kerala for setting up the factory with an eye on the elections, the Minister said: “Please do not mix politics with development.”

Kasargod was selected because land was easily available there unlike in other parts of the State where land acquisition was an uphill task, he explained.

“Development is a continuous process; governments come and go,” he said.

Stating that this had been his consistent view right through when he was Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition and now a member of the Union Cabinet, he refused to be drawn into commenting on the Left Democratic Front government’s criticism of the Centre.