Kerala govt seeks state Congress-led UDF's support for joint stir against Centre

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made the suggestion at a meeting with opposition leader V D Satheesan. The latter, however conveyed that the opposition could take a decision only after consulting all coalition parties.

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM government in Kerala has sought the support of opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in staging a joint stir against the Centre at Delhi.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made the suggestion at a meeting with opposition leader V D Satheesan.

Sathesan said that the opposition could take a decision only after consulting all coalition parties in the UDF. He also added that the opposition did not subscribe to the government's version that policies of the centre were the only reasons for the state's financial crisis. Lapses on the part of the state in tax collection, delay in taking up matters with the centre and fiscal mismanagement are also reasons for the state's financial crisis, Satheesan told reporters.

It was for the first time that the Chief Minister convened a meeting with the opposition to discuss the matter. The CPM-led Left Democratic Front had earlier decided that the Chief Minister would lead a stir by MPs and MLAs from Kerala against the centre at Delhi to protest against the alleged neglect of the BJP government at the centre towards the state. The LDF had also decided to seek support of other non-BJP ruling states for the stir.

The opposition leader said that the opposition had been raising many issues like poor tax collection as reasons for the financial crisis.

The state was losing over Rs 5,000 crore every year owing to lapses in giving statements regarding IGST in time. Despite high gold sales in Kerala, the state's tax revenue from gold was very low. Opposition's suggestion to restructure the tax regime in view of the shift from VAT to GST was also not yet considered by the state government, even as many states already restructured. Hence the opposition can't fully subscribe to the CPM government's narrative that centre's policies and alleged neglect of Centre towards Kerala were the only reasons for state's financial crisis.