Thaindian News

Thiruvananthapuram, May 19 (IANS) A day after the Oommen Chandy-led government took over, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leaders attacked it Thursday on various issues and warned that “the pro-people policies” implemented by the former Left regime should not be tampered with.

Speaking at a party meeting in Kannur, CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said that at no cost will they allow the new government to alter “any pro-people programme” that the Left government had come out with during their tenure.

“The new government should be careful because they have a strength of just 72 seats and we have 68 seats. If they are going to tamper with our major programmes, then a mass struggle is in the offing and it would be a tough time for the survival of the government,” he said.

Reacting to Chandy’s announcement that his government would re-look all appointments made by the Left government starting Jan 1 this year, former education minister M.A. Baby said: “We have no problem and we wish that the Chandy government have a re-look into everything that has taken place ever since we started to rule the state in May 2006. We have nothing to fear.”

Meanwhile, former home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan flayed the Chandy government for not announcing about distributing rice at Re.1 per kilo as promised in the UDF manifesto.

“We all expected that this announcement would be there yesterday (Wednesday) and it was not there. If this is the way they are going to keep their poll promises, then things are not going to be smooth,” he said.

Former finance minister Thomas Issac, while welcoming the reduction of sales tax on increased fuel price, asked Chandy to spell out if this is going to be the policy each time the petroleum companies increase the price.

Meanwhile, new Finance Minister K.M. Mani said the finances of the state appear to be very bad.

“Very soon, I intend to bring out a white paper on the financial position of the state because things are not that rosy. My budget would be based on the policies of our government and hence what Issac presented early this year will change,” he said.

Chandy and six other leaders of United Democratic Front parties were sworn in Wednesday and the second round of cabinet expansion is expected to take place May 23.