Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan hits back at FM Nirmala Sitharaman over Centre’s allocations

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday hit back at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her criticisms against the Kerala government over the Centre’s allocations.

Vijayan said that the undue delay and cut in allocations has forced the state to resort to borrowing. He also said that the allocations to the states are not considered the mercy of the Centre but the right of the states.

While speaking at a function in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, the Finance Minister strongly accused that the failure of the state to meet the criteria was causing the delay in allocation. She also flayed the state government's decision to initiate a legal course of action on the issue. It would only help the Centre expose the state government, she said.

Vijayan alleged that the finance minister was trying to mislead the people. “The allocations for welfare pensions were withheld for nearly three and a half years. Even as there was a shortage of Rs 57,400 crore in central funds, the union finance minister is trying to mislead the people by stating that there is no cut in central funds, Vijayan said.

Meanwhile, BJP state president K Surendran said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and state finance minister K N Balagopal should tender an apology to the Centre for making baseless allegations, which were exposed by the union finance minister.