As Kerala govt starts massive outreach programme, Opposition sees it as campaign for Lok Sabha elections

A grievance redressal mechanism is in place, and a public meeting will be held daily explaining the current political situation as the chief minister, the whole Cabinet, and the chief secretary travel through the state in a specially designed bus.

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CM takes on UDF

Launching the outreach in Manjeswar in the presence of thousands of LDF cadres, Vijayan listed out all the major achievements of his government, especially in the infrastructure sector.

He termed the ongoing widening works of the national highways in the state as a classic example of the determination of his government.

Pinarayi Vijayan and fellow cabinet members at the inaugural. (Supplied)

Launching a tirade against the Congress-led UDF in the Opposition, Vijayan said those who were opposed to the LDF government were deliberately attempting to conceal all the gains over the last seven years from the public and engaging in campaigns aimed at misleading the masses.

Referring to the Opposition’s allegation that the outreach programme of the cash-strapped government was being organised using a newly purchased luxurious bus, the chief minister invited all the journalists present at the inauguration to personally verify it and point out largesses, if any.

“You journalists must board the bus after we have all entered it and occupied the seats. You have every right to examine the luxurious settings within. I hope you will give a clear picture to the general public,” he stated during the speech.

“The Life Mission project of my government has resulted in the construction of four lakh houses across the state for homeless people,” said Vijayan.

“We never affix the name of the government to these houses, because it will harm the dignity of the respective families. Three lakh people have received land deeds from us. As many as 27.5 lakh people received free medical care,” he added.

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Details of the campaign

Hundreds of grievances were received at the special complaint counter arranged at the venue.

As per the plan, neither the chief minister nor the ministers would accept grievances directly. Instead, there would be counters under the supervision of top officials.

Each complaint would be forwarded for further action to the concerned department, specifying a particular time frame.

Until the completion of the outreach, the chief minister and his Cabinet would be on the road and would not be present in the capital.

The weekly Cabinet meetings would be held in different locations, with the chief secretary and concerned officials reaching there in advance.

Kerala has consistently stood out as a model for its inclusive and sustainable development approach, emphasizing decentralization of power and active participation of the people.

The Nava Kerala Sadas is set to become another milestone in our rich history of people's democracy. pic.twitter.com/rXBfU2Scov

— CPI(M) Kerala (@CPIMKerala) November 18, 2023

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PR exercise, says Satheesan

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan accused the government of splurging crores of rupees from the state exchequer for an extravaganza-turned-political propaganda initiative.

He called the whole outreach programme a vulgar ostentatiousness by an anti-people government that had pushed the state into a dangerous financial crisis.

When ordinary people in the state were leading a hand-to-mouth existence and living a life of misery, the Nava Kerala Sadas and Keraleeyam excesses were only for the CPI(M) and its cronies, said the Opposition leader in a statement.

“Two farmers ended their lives in the space of one week. At a time when elderly citizens dependent on welfare pensions of the state are forced to take to the streets with begging bowls, the government and CPI(M) men seem to be the only ones celebrating ‘happiness’,” said Satheesan.

“Tens of thousands of Life Mission beneficiaries, who were forced to dismantle their houses in the hope that they would get new houses, were left in the lurch because the government had no funds to spend anymore,” he alleged.

“Kerala State Road Transport Corporation employees and pensioners are living in penury. Supplyco, which should have been given funds to make market interventions to hold the price line, was rendered useless because even essential items were not available with it,” he said.

According to Satheesan, the Nava Kerala Sadas was essentially a public relations exercise by the CPI(M) and the LDF with an eye on next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

But using poor taxpayers’ money to fund the political campaign of the government was just an arrogant display of power and cocking a snook at the people, according to him.

“It was a criminal offence to use public funds to recast the image of a government that has made inefficiency and corruption its hallmark,” said Satheesan.

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UDF counter-campaign soon

Meanwhile, speculations are rife that there will be a Cabinet reshuffle after the Nava Kerala Sadas with ministers Antony Raju and Ahammad Devarkovil being replaced.

Kerala Congress (B) leader KB Ganesh Kumar and Congress (S) Kerala president Kadannappalliy Ramachandran are to be inducted into the Cabinet, as per a pact within the LDF on sharing ministerial berths.

On the other hand, the UDF plans to conduct its own programme, the Vicharana Sadas, in Assembly segments represented by the ministers from 2 to 22 December.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and Satheesan are expected to open the public hearings at Dharmadam and Beypore, represented by the chief minister and his son-in-law, Minister for Public Works PA Mohamed Riyas, respectively.