In India, Centre-State relations have often been characterised by friction. Yet, it is not often that a State government decides to descend in full strength in New Delhi, alleging unfair treatment at the hands of the Union government.
The decision by Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government to take its running battle against the “crippling” policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre and its “neglect” towards the State all the way to Jantar Mantar, a place in New Delhi often used for protests, is significant on several levels. The protest is being held just a few months before the Lok Sabha elections. Mr. Vijayan has announced that he will be leading his Cabinet colleagues and elected representatives in the high-profile protest. To add more firepower, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led LDF has also invited Chief Ministers and senior leaders of non-BJP States to join the event.
While the impact of this strategy on the flagging INDIA alliance at the national level remains to be seen, the Congress-led Opposition in the State, the United Democratic Front (UDF), has refused to join the protest.
