Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 | State heading towards financial bankruptcy under LDF: Siddaramaiah

'Kerala’s debt has now reached around 30% of its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which is a sign that the state is heading towards financial bankruptcy,' Siddaramaiah said.

Mangaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that Kerala has not witnessed economic growth under the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, and is now turning into a debt-ridden state heading towards financial bankruptcy. The situation would worsen if the LDF returns to power again, he added.

Speaking at a public meeting held on Sunday evening at Majirpalla in support of the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate from Manjeshwar constituency, AKM Ashraf of the Indian Union Muslim League, he said, “A state’s debt should be less than 25% of its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). However, Kerala’s debt has now reached around 30% of its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which is a sign that the state is heading towards financial bankruptcy.”

He added, “While unemployment in Congress-ruled Karnataka stands at around 2.5%, it is about 8% in Kerala. Inflation in Kerala is 8.5%, whereas in Karnataka it is only 4%. Despite all this, what is Pinarayi Vijayan doing?” he questioned, asking the crowd, “Should Pinarayi be voted to power again?” to which the gathering responded, “No.”

He further said that people should compare how Kerala was during the tenure of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and how it is now. “The fiscal deficit of states should be within 3%, but Kerala’s stands at 3.5%,” he noted.

Referring to the five guarantee schemes implemented in Karnataka, he said it was a welcome move that the UDF in Kerala has announced a guarantee of free bus travel for women.

He said that when the Congress announced its guarantee schemes during the 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had claimed that the party would not be able to implement them. They had also argued that even if implemented, Karnataka would become financially bankrupt, and that the schemes would not last more than a year. However, he added that Karnataka has successfully implemented these guarantees for the past three years, spending Rs 1.31 lakh crore on them.

He also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party, and said “It is good that the BJP is not allowed to grow here. The party is anti-Constitution, anti-poor, anti-minority, and anti-women. It lacks ideology and stands only for the rich and upper castes. It is a corporate party.”

“Every time I visit Manjeshwar, I notice how Kannada echoes in everyday conversations here. It is a matter of pride that eminent literary figures such as Manjeshwara Govinda Pai and Kayyara Kinhanna Rai have brought recognition to this region. Even today, though you are part of Kerala, you continue to speak, preserve and take pride in the Kannada language,” he said, recalling that Ashraf had taken oath in Kannada in the state assembly.

The CM also campaigned for Kasargod UDF candidate Kallatra Mahin Haji at Mulleriya.

Candidate AKM Ashraf, Karnataka Minor Irrigation Minister N S Boseraju, Kasargod MP Rajmohan Unnithan, Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai and others were present.