On Tuesday, the United Democratic Front (UDF) organised “evening assemblies” across 140 Assembly constituencies in the State to muster public opinion against the “wrongdoings” of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.
The High Court’s decision to halt treasury payments to the consortium of companies contracted by Keltron to implement the AI-enabled automated traffic offence detection system until the court cleared the deal of malfeasance imbued the UDF rallies with a sense of moral victory.
The speeches by Opposition leaders also sounded like a chargesheet against the government. They lifted the veil on UDF’s main talking points in the looming 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala flagged the alleged Keltron camera corruption at a press conference on April 20.
Later, Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan came out with alleged evidence of cartel formation, bid rigging, and political nepotism in the estimated ₹250-crore mega contract.
Both leaders had jointly moved the High Court to put the government in the dock for suspected corruption in the face of a CPI(M) challenge to furnish hard proof of wrongdoing.
The academic fraud accusations against Students Federation of India and CPI(M) leaders, the expulsion of a CPI(M) leader for tobacco smuggling, factionalism in the ruling party in Alappuzha, the alleged Chief Minister’s Office level conspiracies to ensnare Opposition leaders in police cases, suspected fake antiquities dealer and child abuse case convict Monson Mavunkal’s averments against the police and the Chief Minister’s “PS” fired up the speeches of UDF leaders.
Speakers also focussed on LSGI Minister M.B. Rajesh’s “hollow promise” to mitigate the stray dog menace, a public issue close to the heart of ordinary folk who brave aggressive strays daily on their way to work, education, business, and back.
The Congress had singularly blamed Mr. Rajesh for the death of a boy savaged by a hostile set of feral dogs.
It also said stray dog bite care and anti-rabies vaccination were found wanting in government hospitals. Leaders alleged the animal birth control programme to reduce the homeless dog population had stalled due to government apathy and lack of funds.
The Congress also used the assemblies to accuse Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of splurging on foreign junkets with no reciprocal benefits for the State.
Opposition leaders said the government had lowered the constitutional stature of the legislature by organising biennial Kerala Loka Sabha assemblies, illegally imbuing the informal conclaves with administrative legitimacy.
The UDF also attempted to rally voters against the State law enforcement’s alleged obeisance to the CPI(M), the administration’s “failure” to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, alleged Kerala Medical Services Corporation management-sponsored arson at government medical warehouses to erase the evidence of corruption, spiralling drug abuse, the cost of living crisis and instances of “alcohol-impaired conduct by SFI leaders”.
