The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) sought to punch holes in the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) electoral promises, including free travel for women in public transport buses. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had broadcast the assurances at a political rally here on Saturday, marking the culmination of the State-wide Puthuyuga Yatra led by Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan.

Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar said Mr. Gandhi’s “airy promise” was a surefire recipe to run the financially struggling Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to ruin. “A similar quixotic decision in Karnataka had financially wrecked the Congress-ruled State’s RTC,” he said. 

“Mr. Gandhi has announced wholesale free travel for women, irrespective of their financial background. KSRTC operations will grind to a halt if women who own cars, including government employees, chose to travel free on public transport buses. The utility’s employees will go without pension and salary within a week and the KSRTC will be forced to cancel schedules,” Mr. Ganesh Kumar said. 

“The KSRTC is running its operations on a tight financial lease. It has increased revenue, reduced losses, and streamlined operations. The LDF government subsidises the KSRTC by an estimated ₹120 crore annually. Still, the KSRTC is struggling to meet liabilities, including pension backlogs”. 

Law Minister P. Rajeeve said that Mr. Gandhi exhibited the political mannerisms of a Sangh Parivar stooge. “He openly mused why the Centre was not imprisoning Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan,” he said. Mr. Rajeev termed Mr. Gandhi a “feckless LOP” and “truant leader who goes on foreign jaunts” in moments of national crisis. 

On Kejriwal

Mr. Rajeeve said the Congress under Mr. Gandhi had filed the false complaint that aided Central agencies to ‘unjustly incarcerate’ AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “Congress governments in Telangana and Karnataka had used bulldozer raj to target Muslim residential colonies,” he said. 

Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said Congress governments in Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh were struggling to pay salaries. “They have halted PSC recruitment and pension,” he added. Mr. Balagopal said the Oommen Chandy government, which paid ₹600 as a social welfare pension to 22 lakh beneficiaries, left an 18-month backlog, which was cleared by the LDF government. ”People remember those dark days of UDF rule,” he said.