It’s politics, in spite of everything: Balagopal would not draw back from taking jibes at Opposition

By Express News Service
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking a cue from his predecessor Thomas Isaac for whom the Budget was once the perfect platform for speaking politics, Finance Minister KN Balagopal too didn’t fail to make a robust political assertion together with his maiden price range. The CPM chief not solely devoted all the first a part of his speech to clarify why the Left may retain energy regardless of savage political assaults, but in addition made it amply clear that the federal government intends to deal with the growing monetary burden as a result of pandemic, with out chopping down expenditure at the price of welfare. The Left would as an alternative tackle the problem even when it includes borrowings, he added. 

“During the current economic slowdown and back-to-back natural disasters, the government could have stepped aside by reducing expenditure. But this has never been the approach of the Left Front. During a crisis, the Left chooses to stand upfront and save society even if it involves borrowings. The first Pinarayi government did just that. This government too will follow suit,” he mentioned. 

Taking a leaf out of Isaac’s final price range that had unveiled a roadmap for Kerala’s futuristic growth, Balagopal selected to go along with the identical in full swing. Close to 10 paragraphs have been devoted to explaining why the individuals’s mandate of the Left labored of their favour to make sure continuity in workplace. 

Balagopal mentioned the Left performed a serious function in preserving political horse-trading at verify in Kerala. “The continuity of governance has been made possible neither by denying the freedom of activity to the Opposition nor by silencing the media. No other government in Kerala in recent times has been subjected to such callous attacks from all sides,” he mentioned. 

If Isaac used to cite well-known writers in his speech, Balagopal selected to cite only one individual – Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Quoting Pinarayi publish the LDF victory, he mentioned “malicious campaigns won’t weaken government’s determination.” A livid Opposition clearly termed the price range political propaganda, accusing the minister of delivering a street-smart speech, as an alternative of constructing a monetary assertion.