Corruption, mismanagement hallmarks of ruling Left in Kerala: Congress-led UDF opposition

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led UDF opposition in Kerala on Monday alleged that corruption and administrative mismanagement were the hallmarks of the Left government in the state and announced that it planned to hold a strong agitation against the same.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the assembly V D Satheesan, at a press conference here said that the UDF volunteers and workers from across the state would 'blockade' the state secretariat on Wednesday in protest against the ruling LDF government which was allegedly 'sunk' in corruption.

"Corruption and administrative mismanagement are the hallmarks of this government," he alleged.

Satheesan alleged that a recent provisional attachment order of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Karuvannur bank scam case indicated that the CPI(M) and its leaders were behind the fraud.

He contended that this revelation comes in the wake of graft allegations against the government in connection with the AI cameras and KFON projects as well as the financial transactions of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter's firm with a private company.

"All this underlines the UDF claims that the ruling CPI(M) and its leaders were looting the state in the garb of governing it," Satheesan alleged.

He further alleged that the administrative mismanagement was indicated by the huge financial crisis the state was in, the large scale tax evasion occurring in the state and the backdoor appointments of party workers wherever possible.

The LoP claimed that the financial crisis in the state has halted several development projects and suspended various welfare measures.

"Despite that, there is no reduction in the extravagance of the government," he alleged, referring to the district review meetings being held by the government in all 14 districts of the state.

Satheesan alleged that the meetings were a political campaign of the LDF at the cost of the state exchequer and said that the UDF would not accept it.

He said that the UDF will hold a public trial of the government in all 140 assembly constituencies in the state.

"We will hold them accountable before the public. There will be no compromise on that," the LoP added.

Regarding the Karuvannur bank scam, Satheesan claimed that the cooperative sector was in crisis and the Left government was not doing anything to resolve it.

He alleged that the government had the wherewithal to solve depositors' problems easily, but it was deliberately not doing so.

Satheesan said that the secretariat blockade against the corruption and administrative mismanagement of the state government will commence from 6 am on Wednesday.