V.D. Satheesan, the leader of opposition in the Kerala Assembly, accused Thomas Isaac, CPI-M candidate from the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency, of driving the state into financial crisis. Isaac, a former Finance Minister, is promising to transform Pathanamthitta despite the state’s current financial woes.
Isaac served as the Finance Minister from 2006-11 and then again from 2016-21. Despite not being fielded in the 2021 Assembly elections, he has been asked to contest from Pathanamthitta. The state government recently faced criticism after a petition to the Supreme Court highlighted financial challenges.
According to Satheesan, the Kerala government’s petition to the Supreme Court revealed the state’s dire financial situation, contradicting earlier claims of owed funds from the Centre. The state has already borrowed a significant amount for the new fiscal year, indicating a severe financial crisis.
The opposition has long warned of Kerala’s impending financial crisis, with Satheesan accusing Isaac of dismissing these concerns. The Supreme Court’s decision to refer the petition to a Constitution Bench validates these warnings. In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Isaac will face competition from Congress MP Anto Antony and BJP candidate Anil Antony.
–IANS
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