THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: During the last assembly session, the UDF accused the Left government of attempting to curtail the Opposition’s right to move adjournment motions in the House, which led to a physical altercation between the Opposition and treasury benches. However, in the current session, the Left has taken a different approach, using this opportunity to counter the Opposition.
For the second consecutive time, the ruling Left, on Wednesday, permitted discussions on the adjournment motion and strategically utilised the platform to shape a narrative against the Opposition. As part of a tactical political move leading up to the Lok Sabha polls, the government, while discussing the state’s financial crisis, placed the blame on UDF MPs, alleging that they had neglected the state’s interests before the Centre. In a move that put the UDF on the defensive, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that UDF MPs had declined to collaborate with the government in addressing the financial crisis. He mentioned that a decision was made during a meeting of MPs to jointly approach the Centre to address the crisis.
Initially, the MPs readily agreed to this proposal. However, they later refused to sign the memorandum or be part of the delegation. If there were any issues with the memorandum, the MPs could have pointed them out,” he explained.
Finance Minister K N Balagopal also criticised the UDF for its role in this matter. “The UDF MPs, who took an anti-Kerala approach, stand exposed before the people,” said Balagopal. Sensing that the government was trying to establish a pro-Left narrative, UDF legislators prepared to counter the government’s claims.
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan accused the minister of attempting to divert attention from the state’s severe financial crisis by blaming Opposition MPs. Satheesan also alleged that the government did not consult with parliamentarians before sending the memorandum through MP Elamaram Kareem.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala suggested that the finance minister should have briefed the opposition leader before approaching the legislators.