Overview
- The LDF staged a sit-in from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Palayam Martyrs’ Memorial in Thiruvananthapuram, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with ministers, MPs and MLAs participating.
- Vijayan alleged last-minute curbs cut ₹5,900 crore from Kerala’s ₹12,000-crore January–March borrowing window and cited pending central dues of about ₹5,783.69 crore plus ₹965 crore held back over IGST.
- Revenue Minister K. Rajan pointed to a December 17 directive restricting access to the remaining borrowing space and noted pending approval of roughly ₹6,000 crore related to national highway land acquisition.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah rejected the ‘economic blockade’ claim, saying Kerala received about ₹3.23 lakh crore in 2014–24 versus ₹72,000 crore in 2004–14, while listing major infrastructure allocations.
- BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused the LDF of fiscal mismanagement, citing CAG observations that over ₹16,000 crore in central schemes stalled due to non-compliance, with the clash intensifying ahead of the Union Budget and state elections.