Kerala polls: Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan slams LDF government’s progress report

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Monday termed claims made by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in its ‘Progress Report’ as baseless and misleading.

Mr. Satheesan said that the original 328-page report has now come down to 24 pages. The LDF government took 10 years to construct 5 lakh houses for the poor. The promise that 5 lakh houses would be constructed in five years was originally made by the LDF in 2016. The previous UDF government led by Oommen Chandy had constructed 4.43 lakh houses in five years and started construction on 50,000 additional ones, he said.

The LDF also failed to keep its election manifesto promise that the social security pension would be hiked to ₹2500 per beneficiary. The pensions were hiked by ₹400 (to ₹2000) just before the 2025 local body elections. Neither did the government keep its promise that the support price of rubber would be hiked to ₹250 per kg, he said.

Mr. Satheesan’s remarks came on the heels of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, presenting the ‘10-year progress report of the government, saying that nearly 97% of the 900 promises made in the 2021 election manifesto have either been fulfilled or are in advanced stages of implementation.

Mr. Satheesan termed baseless the LDF claims concerning measures adopted to protect the fishing community and to resolve the land-related issues in Idukki district. During UDF rule, the government was providing ₹25 as subsidy when kerosene cost ₹40 in the market. Although the market price rose to ₹110, the LDF government did not raise the subsidy amount, he alleged.

The Opposition Leader also slammed the LDF government’s claims regarding the Vizhinjam international seaport project. All the groundwork for this major initiative, he said, was done during the term of the Oommen Chandy government. “All approvals were secured, the stone laid and the countdown was begun during the UDF rule. Back then, Mr. Vijayan, who was then the CPI(M) State secretary, had claimed it was a real estate scam amounting to ₹6,000 crore,” he said.

He said that the CPI(M) and the current Industries Minister P. Rajeeve had criticised the GAIL pipeline when the pipe-laying work was kicked off during the UDF term.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the LDF progress report was merely meant to hoodwink the people. The government had released the report just days before the Assembly elections under the impression that no one would be able to contradict it, he said. The people of Kerala would reject the report, Mr. Chennithala said.