Congress leader AK Antony has said that PM Modi's comparison of Kerala and Somalia will affect the BJP's prospects adversely. (File Photo)
Congress leader AK Antony said today that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's controversial comparison of Kerala and Somalia will impact the prospects of the BJP adversely.
"Prime Minister Modi had compared Kerala to Somalia, which is infamous for starvation deaths and sea pirates. The pride of Keralites has been hurt," Mr Antony told reporters after exercising his franchise at a booth in Thiruvananthapuram.
"The Prime minister had an opportunity to apologise for the remark, but he did not do that," the former Defence Minister said, adding that the remark would affect the BJP's prospects adversely.
PM Modi, while addressing an election rally in Kerala, had compared the infant deaths in some tribal areas in the state with that to Somalia, and said that conditions need to improve.
The BJP defended the Prime Minister, saying people were "twisting facts" and he had only highlighted the plight of the tribal community in the state and his desire was to improve their living conditions.
Expressing confidence that Kerala will create history by voting to power the UDF government again, Mr Antony said the Marxist-led LDF will have to sit in the opposition for the next five years and BJP will not open its account.