The Karnataka government’s adamant stance against opening its borders with the State and the Central government’s alleged delay in sharing the Goods and Services Tax compensation and other transfers have put the Left Democratic Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party on a collision course.
The border closure took a political turn with the Karnataka BJP targeting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, but he refused to take the bait and brushed it aside saying the State is currently focussed on the COVID-19 containment and did not want to shift its accent. But the LDF has to a considerable extent succeeded in keeping the embers smouldering and it has eventually put the State BJP in the dock.
LDF charge
The LDF had succinctly blamed the BJP of adopting a parochial approach in the face of a grave crisis in contravention to its nationalistic stance and the latter was at a loss in justifying the decision.
The LDF has raised the historical links Kasargod shared with the Dakshina Kannada region to give heft to its argument and the death of two persons who were stopped on the border came in handy to target the BJP.
Without justifying Karnataka, BJP State president K. Surendran chose to put the onus on the State government for the present crisis. The Karnataka government had already announced its decision against admitting patients from other States in its hospitals in February last on health grounds. Still State government failed to make any arrangements in Kasargod to handle the crisis, he said.
The war of words is likely to continue till the judiciary takes a final call on the issue.
Isaac’s charge
Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac has already accused the Centre of failing to support the State to tackle the COVID challenge. While ignoring the demand for releasing the arrears due to the State, the Centre had not enhanced the allocation for National Health Mission, he said.
Once the COVID crisis subsides, Kerala would take the lead in bringing together the non-BJP ruled States to mount pressure on the Centre to wrest the dues. Such moves would eventually put the LDF and the BJP on a collision course.
