Kerala Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan Slams UDF Government Over Budget and PM SHRI Scheme

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan said the Kerala budget’s extra allocations contradict the UDF government’s claim of a severe fiscal crisis, noting that "if the state is able to provide more than Rs 2,000 crore … it cannot simultaneously argue that the financial situation is extremely alarming." He criticised the lack of new relief for rubber, coconut and paddy farmers and warned that the budget favours large liquor manufacturers and private‑sector control over coastal resources.

Vijayan also attacked the UDF’s reversal on the centrally sponsored PM SHRI school scheme, calling the move “hypocrisy.” He reminded that the UDF had pledged before the election to scrap the scheme, even saying they would "throw it into the Arabian Sea," yet now the government is proceeding with implementation. He argued the shift mirrors a broader national trend within the Congress party to accept the scheme despite earlier opposition.