The decision to deploy Central security forces to oversee upcoming assembly by-polls in Kerala was taken due to "failure" on the part of the state government.
to ensure smooth conduct of elections, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.
"The Election Commission's recommendation to send Central forces ahead of the Nov 7 assembly by-polls to three seats came after it was convinced that Left Front Government could not supervise the polling process in free and fair manner," he said.
Chief Minister Achuthanandan and the state government should introspect on the circumstances that led to deployment of Central forces, Antony told reporters here.
On Achuthanandan's reported remarks that the forces would remain in "barracks" so long as the state felt that there was no need to deploy such personnel to monitor law and order, the defence minister said he was not interested in a wordy duel with the chief minister.