Congress Criticizes Kerala Government's Poverty Claims and Election Promises
Congress MP K.C. Venugopal has strongly criticized the Kerala LDF government for its misleading claims about poverty eradication and failure to fulfill election promises. He highlighted the inconsistency in the government's statements regarding pensions and questioned their credibility. Additionally, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda addressed the severe agricultural crisis in Kerala, emphasizing the burden of debt on farmers. The Congress party plans to introduce a dedicated agricultural budget aimed at supporting farmers and fishermen. This article delves into the political dynamics in Kerala as the elections approach.
| Apr 3, 2026, 21:23 IST
Congress MP's Strong Critique of Kerala's LDF Government
On Friday, Congress MP K.C. Venugopal launched a fierce critique against the ruling LDF government in Kerala, accusing it of repeatedly making misleading claims regarding poverty eradication and failing to fulfill its electoral promises related to social welfare measures. Speaking to reporters, Venugopal questioned the government's assertion that Kerala is free from poverty, asking why they continue to make such claims if that were true. He argued that this inconsistency serves as clear evidence that their previous statements were misleading. He pointed out that the government had promised to increase pensions to ₹3,000 in their manifesto, yet their earlier commitment was to provide ₹2,500. For 55 months, the pension remained at ₹1,500, only recently being raised to ₹2,000 three months ago.
Unfulfilled Promises and Agricultural Crisis
Venugopal further stated that the promised ₹2,500 from the 2021 manifesto has yet to be delivered, highlighting that their manifesto is essentially a significant deception. He questioned whether the public would trust them again if they keep repeating unfulfilled promises from the past decade. In a related event, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda brought attention to the agricultural crisis in Kerala during a campaign rally in Thiruvananthapuram. He informed a news agency that the policies of the LDF and Pinarayi government have led to a severe agricultural crisis in the state, with farmers burdened by the highest debts across all 28 states, averaging around ₹5.5 lakh per family. This has resulted in a dire situation, including instances of suicide among farmers. Hooda assured that if the UDF comes to power, as promised by their leader Rahul Gandhi, they would provide significant relief to Kerala's farmers.
Focus on Farmers and Fishermen
For the first time, a distinct agricultural budget focusing on farmers and fishermen will be introduced, aimed at paving the way for debt-free farming. Meanwhile, Congress leader and candidate from the Haripad assembly constituency, Ramesh Chennithala, dismissed the BJP's prospects in Kerala.