THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, who frequently criticises the Centre to hide his own inefficiency, is harming the common interests of the state, alleged BJP state president K Surendran. In a statement, Surendran said the state’s coffers became empty due to the extravagance, ineptitude and corruption of the LDF government. 

“Isaac has taken a stance that the Centre should continue allocating money and the state will spend it. This stance is aimed at facilitating corruption,” he said. The BJP president said the Union Government had taken a very magnanimous attitude towards the state for battling Covid-19. The Centre’s economic package of Rs 1.76 lakh crore is also aimed at people of the state, he reminded and said that the benefits have started reaching the common man.

Two recent announcements made by the Reserve Bank of India are aimed at giving a stimulus to the economic sector. It was after the Centre provided assistance to the state that enough liquidity was ensured in the market, Surendran said. The BJP president said a package of Rs 50,000 crore for the small and medium-scale sectors was also announced towards meeting this objective and also to tide over the Covid-19 crisis. 

Surendran said Isaac was launching a tirade against the Centre to divert attention from alleged corruption in allowing an US company named Sprinklr to acccess sensitive health data of the people in the state.
“In order to ensure development of the state, the relation between the Centre and the state should be strengthened. Chief Minster should rein in his Finance Minister who is working against this objective,” Surendran said.