THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition UDF has intensified its agitation against the LDF government’s dream project, SilverLine, and their target is none other than Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Taking it forward from Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan’s direct confrontation with him during the recent budget session of the assembly, the UDF leaders have decided to attack the CM en masse, branding him as the master brain behind the semi high-speed railway project.
During its agitational programmes in the gold smuggling case and PSC job aspirants’ protest in the Pinarayi government’s first tenure in front of the Secretariat, the Opposition had failed to garner public support. The pandemic also played spoilsport, leading to the debacle of the Congress and its allies in the 2021 assembly elections.
However, the protests by people against the laying of survey stones in various parts of the state this time have been a blessing in disguise for the UDF. It has decided to cash in on the people’s agitation against the SilverLine project. Satheesan told TNIE that from the assembly, the UDF has taken its agitation to the street with people’s participation.
“Our target is only the chief minister as it is a single man’s project with the rest of his colleagues groping in the dark. He has an agenda. A survey has not been initiated and the usual procedures for mega projects have not been followed. None in the LDF government is even aware of the actual estimate of the project,” said Satheesan.
Senior Congress MP K Muraleedharan told TNIE that the UDF doesn’t have to mobilise people as mass protests against the project are already happening in several parts. “This is a golden opportunity for the UDF to target Pinarayi and his government. It is unfortunate that the police are not sparing even women and children who take part in protests,” said Muraleedharan.