Why is the Congress-led UDF Observing the 9th Anniversary of Vijayan Government as a Black Day?

Synopsis
As Kerala's opposition Congress-led UDF prepares to observe the 9th anniversary of the Pinarayi Vijayan government as a 'black day', concerns about governance and corruption rise. This article delves into the criticisms raised by opposition leaders and the implications for the state's political landscape.
Key Takeaways
- Opposition Criticism: The Congress-led UDF criticizes the Vijayan government for alleged corruption.
- Public Debt Concerns: Kerala’s public debt has significantly increased during the Vijayan administration.
- Governance Issues: Various sectors in Kerala, including electricity and medicine supply, are reportedly in distress.
- Allegations of Mismanagement: The UDF highlights the mismanagement claims as a key point of contention.
- Political Implications: This 'black day' highlights ongoing political tensions in Kerala.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 19 (NationPress) The opposition Congress-led UDF in Kerala has declared that they will commemorate the 9th anniversary of the Pinarayi Vijayan government—marking the fourth year of its unprecedented second term—on Tuesday as “a black day”.
The first Vijayan administration took office in May 2016, and on May 20, 2021, Vijayan made history by becoming the initial Chief Minister to be sworn in for a second consecutive term, leading the Left Democratic Front to a remarkable victory.
V.D. Satheesan, the Leader of the Opposition, remarked on Monday that the Vijayan government will be remembered as one that “forgot to govern” the state, claiming that it has primarily engaged in corrupt practices.
“I would like to ask Vijayan if he and his government have done anything other than provide advertisements to the media and pay them for self-promotion,” the Congress leader stated, emphasizing that he raises this question because both Vijayan and the CPI-M have consistently shown “disdain towards the media”.
“Throughout the nine years, the Vijayan government has completely neglected governance as they were embroiled in corruption. When the Oommen Chandy-led (Congress) government left office in 2016, Kerala’s total public debt stood at ₹1.5 lakh crore, which has now ballooned to an alarming ₹6 lakh crore due to mismanagement and wasteful spending—a clear indication of poor governance,” he added.
Satheesan asserted that the most significant evidence of the governance crisis in Kerala is the disarray across all sectors.
“When Chandy resigned, the state electricity board was profitable; now, after nine years and multiple tariff hikes, it finds itself in severe financial distress with immense losses. The state’s medicine supply department is struggling to pay suppliers, and the Civil Supplies Corporation, responsible for distributing essential food items, has left many fair price shops empty. The same scenario is evident in several Welfare Boards,” he claimed.
The Congress leader also mentioned the recent admission by veteran CPI-M leader and former minister G. Sudhakaran, who confessed to tampering with postal votes in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections, highlighting the internal issues within the CPI-M.
“This has been our long-standing assertion, now validated by their own leader,” Satheesan added.
“Given the current state of affairs in Kerala, the entire Congress-led opposition will mark Tuesday as a black day,” he concluded.