Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is set to witness a politically significant moment tomorrow as the second LDF government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presents its final budget. Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal will table the budget in the Assembly, with strong expectations of a slew of people-centric announcements as the state moves closer to Assembly elections.
In the run-up to the budget, the Economic Review Report—detailing the state’s financial health—will be presented in the Assembly today. The debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s policy address will also conclude today. Opposition Leader V. D. Satheesan is slated to address the House, after which Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will respond to the debate.
Political temperatures remain high, with the opposition preparing to raise the Sabarimala gold smuggling issue once again on the Assembly floor. The UDF is pressing for the resignation of the Devaswom Minister and demanding an end to alleged interference by the Chief Minister’s Office in the functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
As part of the ongoing protest, UDF MLAs C. R. Mahesh and Najeeb Kanthapuram continue their sit-in demonstration at the Assembly entrance, keeping the issue firmly in the political spotlight.
