War of words between Kerala FM Balagopal, Union minister Muraleedharan

May 29, 2023 23:28

Union minister Muraleedharan

A war of words erupted on Monday between Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan and Kerala finance minister KN Balagopal regarding the alleged reduction in the state government's borrowing capacity with both blaming each other of trying to mislead the public on the issue.

Muraleedharan claimed it was the "financial mismanagement and extravagance" of the LDF government that resulted in the financial crisis Kerala was facing and it was the reason for the state's huge debt.

He also refuted the allegations of the ruling Left government in Kerala that the Centre had reduced the borrowing capacity of the state.

Hitting back, Balagopal said Muraleedharan was trying to mislead people and achieve political gains through such baseless and objectionable statements.

Earlier in the day at a press conference held here, Muraleedharan termed as an "extravagance" the honorarium approved for expelled Congress leader K V Thomas, now appointed as the state's representative in New Delhi, and the foreign trips of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the state's ministers.

The minister further said some of India's neighbouring countries were in dire economic straits due to their financial policies and as the Centre did not want a similar situation here, restrictions were placed on borrowings by states.

"So, I would like to ask the state finance minister and the chief minister not to foist the blame for it on the central government," Muraleedharan told reporters at the press conference held by him. -- PTI

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