THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister V Muraleedharan said the discussion on whether Kerala or UP is ahead started deliberately. Yogi compared the five years of rule in Kerala and UP. The health sector improved in UP in five years. The Goonda Raj has been disappeared. The CPM is trying to cover up the failure of the government, he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made the controversial remarks ahead of the first phase of polls in the state yesterday. Yogi said that if the voters make a mistake, Uttar Pradesh will become Kashmir, Kerala or Bengal. A lot of wonders have happened here in five years. If you make a mistake these five years of hard work will be ruined. Yogi said voting for the BJP would ensure a fearless life.

With this, the ruling and opposition leaders including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out at Yogi. If UP turns into Kerala as the former fears, it will enjoy the best education, health services and social welfare, said Pinarayi.

However, BJP state president K Surendran came forward justifying Yogi. The principal secretary of UP chief minister had not gone to jail in gold smuggling. No communal riot had taken place in UP in the last five years. Not a single person was killed in Popular Front attack, Surendran said in a Facebook post.