'Central govt not cooperative bank to give money when demanded'; Rajeev Chandrasekhar challenges CM for a debate

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, in a sardonic response, said the central government is not a cooperative bank to provide the Kerala government with money whenever demanded.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that during the UPA rule, Kerala got only Rs 72,000 crore. Meanwhile, the NDA government, led by Narendra Modi, has allocated Rs 3.2 lakh crore in the last decade. The state BJP chief said that it was curious that there was no protest over the meagre money allotted during the UPA rule.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar:

“Instead of protesting over not receiving the central funds, the government should have provided accurate figures or governed the state efficiently. I am challenging the chief minister to a debate on this issue,” said the state BJP chief at the press conference, responding to the LDF Satyagraha.

When the Pinarayi Vijayan government came to power 10 years ago, the state's debt was 1.4 lakh crore. Now it is 5 lakh crore.

The state received Rs. seven lakh crore as central assistance and as credit. When its own income is added, it will be more than 10 lakh crore. What the LDF rule gave to the people is the highest unemployment in the country, which is 30 per cent. Kerala is first in the country in price inflation. Approximately 52 lakh people do not have access to drinking water. 5.5 lakh people do not have houses. 45,000 people live in huts. Even after getting the people's mandate twice, the LDF proved to be a failure.

While the debt has tripled, the GSDP has only doubled. 92% of the expenditure is on revenue expenditure and interest on loans. The capital expenditure for development is only 8%. The government is simply relying on taking loans. If we borrow like this, who will repay it? Wouldn't that be a liability for the people? Wouldn't the future generation be trapped in debt? This is mismanagement.

LDF is resorting to lies to hide their own incompetence and divert public attention. The BJP will demolish the palace of lies with facts.”