UDF skips LDF protest against Centre, alleges CPI(M)-BJP nexus in Kerala

The Congress-led Opposition UDF in Kerala on Monday (January 12) refused to join the ruling Left in any protest against the Centre, accusing the CPI (M) leadership in the state of striking an "unholy understanding" with the BJP. His remarks come on a day the state ministers, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, staged a protest against the BJP-ruled Centre.

‘LDF bowed before PM Modi’

Speaking to reporters, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, said that the UDF would not join forces with Vijayan and the LDF government, alleging that they had "bowed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah."

He made the remarks responding to reporters’ questions about Vijayan’s allegation against the UDF for not participating in the protest against the Centre’s alleged discriminatory approach towards Kerala.

Elaborating further, Satheesan alleged that the LDF was misleading the people of the state by pretending to oppose the Centre through protests, while simultaneously accepting and endorsing decisions taken by the Union government.

‘Will lose credibility’

Referring to schemes such as PM SHRI, he said the government’s stance on central policies was well known.

"If we participate in such protests, we too will lose credibility," he said, alleging that the BJP and CPI(M) leaderships in the state were acting in tandem to protect each other from legal cases.

"The people of Kerala are aware of their secret understanding now," he added.

‘Vijayan following Sangh Parivar’s path’

Satheesan further alleged that the CPI(M) and Vijayan were following the Sangh Parivar’s footsteps by "exploiting religious divisions for political gains."

He claimed that while minority communalism was encouraged until the Lok Sabha elections, the CPI(M) was now promoting majority communalism, and that the satyagraha protest was aimed at diverting public attention from this shift.

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Questioning the relevance of holding a protest in front of the Palayam Martyrs’ Memorial, Satheesan alleged the exercise was intended to "conceal political compromises with BJP leaders."

He said the main political contest in Kerala remained between the Congress and the CPI(M), but alleged that the BJP, being opposed to the Congress, was indirectly aiding the Marxist party in the state.

‘Don’t need lessons from Vijayan’

Satheesan added that the UDF did not require lessons on opposing the Sangh Parivar from CM Vijayan.

His remarks came soon after the Chief Minister criticised the Congress-led UDF, alleging that the opposition had failed to take a united stand against what he described as "discrimination against the state."

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Vijayan alleged that, driven by narrow political objectives, the opposition viewed the financial strangulation of the state government by the Centre through the lens of what advantage it could derive from it.

"This approach is completely contrary to the interests of the state," Vijayan added, while leading a satyagraha protest here against the Centre,” he added.

Vijayan’s charge against Centre

During the day, the Chief Minister cited a series of figures to back the State government’s charge that Kerala is being discriminated against by the Centre. Addressing the protest, he said Rs 5,900 crore had been cut from the State’s eligible borrowing limit of Rs 12,000 crore for the January-March quarter of the current financial year.

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Vijayan said pending dues from the Centre up to September 2025 amounted to Rs 5,783.69 crore, including amounts under UGC benefits, social security pensions, paddy procurement, Samagra Shiksha Kerala, the Jal Jeevan Mission, Poshan Abhiyan, fisheries, food security, Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, dairy development, and women and child development schemes. He added that Kerala also stood to lose Rs 3,544 crore due to stipulations on man-days under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), reported The Hindu.

“These attempts cannot be seen as targeting the LDF alone. They affect all sections of the people and the State,” he said, calling for a united stand. The Chief Minister accused the Congress-led United Democratic Front of failing to protect the State’s interests and alleged that its tacit support for the BJP was self-destructive.

(With agency inputs)