Kerala: Congress hits back at “financial failure” after LDF minister picks on Rahul Gandhi’s “petty politics”

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India]: Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has accused Kerala’s finance minister K N Balagopal of failure to manage the state’s finances even as the latter revealed that the state was in an extremely dire financial situation due to lack of funds from the central government.

Balagopal also criticised the Congress for playing “petty politics” over the issue and Rahul for not standing up against the Centre.

“Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal has completely failed in the management of finance source of Kerala. Actually speaking Kerala is now in debt trap. The government has no idea how to get over it. The wasteful expenditure has not been corrected.

Corruption is one of the major issues in the state. The revenue generation is not at all in the expected line,” Chennithala told reporters.

The Congress leader alleged that total failure in financial management has created havoc in the financial sector of the state.

“Still, he’s blaming the Congress MPs. I wonder how he can blame the Congress MPs on this issue. We are not ruling the state and as and when the time comes we are raising this issue in the Parliament.

Our MPs are very vocal in the Parliament stating more financial resources to the state. It’s our general stand, to ask for the finance commission’s report, Kerala needs more and more support from the centre,” Chennithala said.

Chennithala also expressed concern about upcoming Onam festival in the state and sought to know Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s approach towards it.

“I am asking the Chief Minister of the state, has he gone to the Prime Minister and asked for assistance? For more financial facilities? I don’t know. They completely failed in attending to the people’s problems,” he said.

“Onam season is fast approaching. It is a National festival of all Malayalis throughout the world. This is the time for help. The poor marginalized sections of society.

There is no sign of assistance from the side of state government,” said the Congress leader. Chennithala said that 18 per cent DA is pending for government employees. The assistance for the pensioners is pending.

“Even the salary of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the public enterprises are pending. People know the reality. That’s why the people are agitating against the mistakes of the state government,” he said.

On Friday Balagopal addressing a press conference had alleged that Congress MPs in the State did not sign a memorandum prepared by the state government to be submitted to the Central government on the fiscal crisis being faced by the State.

He further said that Congress should stop playing petty politics on this issue and support the state government.

“Very important leaders like Rahul Gandhi an MP from Kerala and Congress are playing pretty politics on the issues of the people of Kerala. Congress people are supporting the BJP government.

The people of Kerala are facing difficulties,” the state finance minister said
Chennithala, who was a fomer Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, however, said that Balagopal was indulging in “petty politics.”

“Rahul Gandhi was not in Parliament for so many days. He was expelled. Can you expect Rahul Gandhi to go to the Parliament as a disqualified MP, this is all petty politics of Mr Balagopal. He is a failed finance minister.

He cannot move an inch and in the coming days, the state will go into the overdraft. Everybody knows that the government has failed in meeting the very important needs of the people in the state,” Chennithala said.

While addressing the press conference on Friday, Kerala Finance Minister said, “Kerala is facing financial sanctions from the Centre.

Kerala is paying around 70 per cent of the revenue to the Centre and less than 30 per cent of the revenue is coming from the centre. There is a sharp disparity and it is discrimination.”