The Left Democratic Front government is hoping to rope in the Opposition United Democratic Front’s support in a bid to project a united front against the Centre’s alleged discriminatory policies towards Kerala.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will hold talks with Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and Deputy Leader of Opposition P.K. Kunhalikutty at 10 a.m. on Monday. Mr. Vijayan’s office, in a brief note, indicated that the meeting was planned in the context of the Union government’s persistent neglect and wrong approaches towards Kerala that had exceeded all limits.
Mr. Satheesan told The Hindu that he and Mr. Kunhalikutty accepted the invitation and would attend the meeting, which is planned in online mode. “We will attend it since it is meant to discuss the financial situation of the State. At the same time, the UDF is clear as to the reasons for the present financial difficulties,” Mr. Satheesan said.
LDF convener E.P. Jayarajan said Monday’s meeting would discuss the overall situation faced by the State. Mr. Jayarajan said there was a need for the ruling and Opposition parties in the State to put up a united front against the unfriendly Central policies.
Multiple contexts, including the extended Centre-State standoff on specific issues related to State finances, lend significance to Monday’s meeting. The State government had accused the UDF and its MPs of failing to support its bid to raise the State’s demands before the Centre and in Parliament.
Further, in December, Kerala filed a suit in the Supreme Court blaming the BJP government for violating federal principles and trying to harm the State’s economy. The apex court has now issued a summons to the Centre on it.
While the State government blames the financial crunch on the ‘‘unjust’‘ denial of the State’s rightful share of revenues by the Centre, the UDF says that is only part of the story.
Mr. Satheesan and the UDF have, within and outside the Assembly, consistently accused the State government of pushing the State into a crisis and “toxic debt” through financial mismanagement, unbridled spending, and shoddy tax collection.
Painting a bleak picture of State finances in a white paper in January 2023, the Opposition had also accused the Finance department of failing to properly restructure the tax machinery to align with the Goods and Services Tax regime.
