Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal on Sunday welcomed the Opposition UDF’s decision to accept Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s invitation to discuss the Centre’s neglect of Kerala, adding that cooperation in this matter was the need of the hour.
Mr. Vijayan is scheduled to hold discussions with Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan and Deputy Leader of Opposition P. K. Kunhalikutty on the Centre’s continued neglect of the State at 10 a.m. on Monday.
“Political differences notwithstanding, there is no point in standing as Ruling Party and Opposition when it comes to a common cause of the State. Even senior economists, who differ on policy matters, are unanimous that Kerala is facing neglect from the Centre,” Mr. Balagopal said on the sidelines of an event here.
He expressed the hope that the Opposition will agree to put up a common front to protect the State’s interests. The discrimination faced by the State also needs to become a topic of discussion with the Parliament elections drawing near, the Minister pointed out.
Politically significant
Monday’s meeting assumes significance politically as earlier attempts, ahead of Parliament sessions, to get the Opposition on board had not succeeded. Although the State government hoped to submit a joint memorandum to the Finance Minister, the UDF MPs did not sign it. Mr. Balagopal termed it a disappointment, but expressed the hope that things would prove different this time.
The State Government had approached the Supreme Court in December against the Centre’s stand as it felt that the neglect was damaging to the state’s interests, the Minister added.
