- Vijayan accused UDF of privatization and weakening welfare institutions.
A sharp political exchange erupted in Kerala on Saturday as senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor hit back at criticism from former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, accusing the Left Democratic Front (LDF) of leaving behind a legacy of mounting debt and financial mismanagement. The confrontation marks the latest chapter in the growing debate over the state’s new budget, which has triggered intense exchanges between the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) and the opposition LDF.
Tharoor Rejects Criticism Of New Budget
The controversy began after Pinarayi Vijayan accused the UDF government of abandoning the principles of Nehruvian socialism and drifting away from Kerala’s traditional development model. Responding on social media platform X, Tharoor dismissed the criticism as repetitive and outdated. He argued that the Left was relying on familiar talking points rather than addressing questions surrounding its own economic record during a decade in power.
In a strongly worded post, Tharoor suggested that while the previous LDF government frequently highlighted welfare initiatives, social justice measures and public investment, the state was left carrying a substantial debt burden.
He pointed to Kerala’s debt figure of Rs 5.07 lakh crore and questioned the financial sustainability of policies pursued during the Left’s tenure. Tharoor also alleged that the previous administration had resorted to borrowing even for routine obligations such as employee salaries and festival-related payments.
This tired old set of ideological cliches is all the Left can offer in response to Kerala’s visionary Budget! “The last two governments led by us, the LDF, showed that welfare, social justice and public investment can go hand in hand with economic growth and modern development.”… https://t.co/kaD9Oa7fst
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 20, 2026
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Congress Leader Questions LDF’s Economic Record
Escalating his criticism, Tharoor argued that the state had witnessed growing financial challenges over the last ten years. He alleged that issues including debt accumulation, governance failures, corruption and policy miscalculations had become more pronounced under the LDF administration.
The Congress MP contended that attempts by the Left to criticise the current budget invited scrutiny of its own record. According to him, the debate was no longer about ideology alone but about the long-term economic consequences of decisions taken during the previous government’s tenure.
Vijayan Defends Kerala Model, Attacks UDF Policies
The exchange was triggered by a social media post from Vijayan a day earlier in which he accused the UDF of betraying the principles it had projected during the election campaign.
The veteran CPI(M) leader argued that the budget signaled a major shift away from the welfare-oriented approach associated with Kerala’s development model. He maintained that successive LDF governments had demonstrated that economic growth could coexist with welfare measures, public investment and social justice.
Vijayan claimed that Kerala had achieved significant progress in human development indicators, infrastructure and economic growth under Left rule. He also argued that the state had emerged as a model of resistance against policies that, in his view, weakened the role of states and expanded privatization.
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Debate Intensifies Over Privatization and Public Assets
The former Chief Minister further alleged that the new budget prioritises corporate interests over public welfare. According to him, sectors such as mineral resources, coastal assets, healthcare and public infrastructure are increasingly being opened to private participation.
He also accused the UDF government of reducing plan expenditure and weakening institutions that played a crucial role in Kerala’s development over several decades.
Vijayan argued that the budget effectively advances policies long associated with the BJP’s economic agenda. Describing the document as more than a fiscal exercise, he claimed it represented a roadmap that could reshape the state’s development priorities in favour of private interests.
