'Cashless' Vijayan govt feeling the heat?

For the first time in four decades, Kerala would be witnessing an incumbent government trying to retain its grip among voters and the Congress trying to cash in on the anti-incumbency factor.

- SHANKAR RAJ

Earlier, despite the pandemic crisis and ‘diplomatic’ gold smuggling saga, the LDF had won 91 seats in 2016 and returned to the helm with 99 seats in 2021. However, three years down, the LDF is not in a comfortable position. The anti-incumbency factor against the Left government has grown manifold in 2024.

The anger among voters is evident. The treasury is empty, there is inordinate delay in the disbursal of social pensions, the people are heavily taxed and corruption and misuse of power are rampant.

Allegations of scams, especially related to cooperative banks, and a central probe into the IT firm run by the chief minister’s daughter, Veena, are also bound to have their repercussions. All this has put Chief Minister Pinarayi in a spot of worry.