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Vijayan set to lead protest against Centre in Delhi on Feb 8
The protest will be attended by ministers of the Kerala government, all LDF MLAs, MPs from both Houses, leaders of various parties within the coalition.
Kochi: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will headline a protest against the Centre’s alleged ‘apathy and neglect’ towards the state in Delhi on February 8, Left Democratic Front (LDF) convenor EP Jayarajan said on Tuesday.
The protest, scheduled to take place at Jantar Mantar in the heart of Delhi, will be attended by ministers of the Kerala government, all LDF MLAs, MPs from both Houses, leaders of various parties within the coalition, and other like-minded parties.
The decision was taken at an LDF meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday and comes a day after the chief minister held talks with Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan of the Congress and PK Kunhalikutty, deputy leader of opposition belonging to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) regarding the issue.
“The state government’s right to borrow funds is being denied. The Centre’s investments in the state are decreasing and the number of central institutions are dwindling. The lowest railway allocation given to a state in India has been to Kerala. Projects like the Sabari rail corridor are not being taken forward. In short, the Centre is halting the development of the state and UDF leaders are not coming forward to call it out,” alleged Jayarajan.
“The protest we are planning on Feb 8 in Delhi is not just a LDF protest, but that of the people of Kerala. We request the UDF leaders to join the protest as well as it concerns the welfare and prosperity of the state,” the LDF convenor said.
Post the discussions with the chief minister, Satheesan on Monday had said that the UDF leaders will meet and decide on whether to participate in a joint protest with the LDF against the BJP-led Centre.
