Amid harsh criticism from many quarters including state ministers that the Union Budget 2020 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman has ignored Kerala, RSP leader Shibu Babyjohn has come out questioning what the state government had done to present its case before the centre.

In the preceding years, it has been a practice for the state chief minister to be present in Delhi prior to the budget presentation to meet the union minister to discuss the state’s demands. He alleged that there is no information about any such meetings held by the chief minister or the finance minister this time around.

He also questioned the appointment of A Sampath in Delhi in a cabinet post at a hefty salary ostensibly to make sure that Kerala’s voice is heard in the capital. Despite this unusual appointment, the government has failed in communicating its requirements to the centre, he alleged. The centre’s neglect, as well as the lethargy of the state machinery, are equally responsible for the reduced budget allocation to the state, he said in a post on Facebook.

A Sampath, a three-time MP, was appointed as a special representative of the state government in a liaison role to coordinate with the central government following his defeat in the previous general election.