Honeymoon over: UDF launches first stir against Kerala's left govt.

UDF launched its first stir against Kerala's CPM-led LDF government in Kerala   Chief Minister lost control over the police force: UDF Congress leader Oommen Chandy terms the new fee imposed for land registration 'daylight robbery'

Indicating that the opposition was not in a mood to allow a long honeymoon for the Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala, the United Democratic Front (UDF) launched its first public agitation against the government on Wednesday, hardly three months after it assumed office. The sit-in protest in front of the Secretariat also turned out to be a show of strength and unity in the front, which suffered a jolt with the exit of Kerala Congress-M on Monday. 

Inaugurating the protest against price rise and the new taxes imposed, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had lost control over police force in the state. “The state has become the paradise for thieves. As many as 58 murders took place in the state within two months after the LDF came to power. Is this what people of Kerala wanted," Chennithala quipped. 

The sit-in stir accused the government responsible for the massive price rise. The UDF agitation also demanded a rollback of new tax proposals introduced in the budget. The tax proposals of the LDF government pushed the price of commodities sky high, it alleged. 

"The LDF is imposing huge tax burden on people while the UDF refrained from imposing new taxes on people," Chennithala said. 

Congress leader and former Chief Minister  Oommen Chandy termed the new fee imposed for registration of land transactions between family members as ‘day light robbery.’ "No one should carry out registration of land till the government revoked the new charges," he said.