The ruling CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Tuesday announced that the front will stage a protest in Delhi on February 8 under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the central government’s alleged neglect towards the state.

Ministers in the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet, MPs, and MLAs will attend the protest along with the Chief Minister. A decision in this regard was taken at an LDF meeting held here on Tuesday. The protest march will be taken out from Kerala House to Jantar Mantar at 11.30 am on February 8. Leaders of the INDI bloc and alliance Chief Ministers will be invited to join the protest march.

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Announcing the decision to hold the protest march in Delhi, LDF convener EP Jayarajan said that the central government is deliberately trying to destroy the popularity of the Left government. He stated that development projects in Kerala have come to a standstill as the central government has refused to disburse funds to the state.

Earlier, CM Pinarayi Vijayan held an online meeting with the opposition leaders and informed them about the central government’s alleged neglect of Kerala. The Chief Minister urged the UDF to join the protest against the Centre’s alleged neglect of Kerala. However, the opposition UDF has placed the request on hold as it fears that sharing a platform with the LDF just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections could harm its political fortunes. Opposition leader VD Satheesan said that the decision to join the protest in Delhi would be taken after consulting leaders of the UDF constituent parties.

According to state government sources, the sharp reduction in the borrowing cap has worsened the state’s financial problems which would eventually have an additional impact on the payment of social welfare pensions.

While the state government maintains that the central government’s decisions, especially the drastic cut in the borrowing limits and grants, have led to the current financial crisis, the Union Finance Minister has accused the Kerala government of propagating false claims that the Union government hasn’t allocated funds to the state.