K. N. Balagopal Slams V. D. Satheesan for Repeatedly Making False Claims

Thiruvananthapuram: Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal said that Opposition Leader V. D. Satheesan has been persistently making statements that are not based on facts. He added that if a Nobel Prize were awarded for lying, it should go to him. Although Satheesan claims he is making factual statements, he mostly targets the Finance Department.

Satheesan frequently alleges that Kerala’s treasury is empty, using the phrase “cats are littering in the treasury” to suggest that the state has no funds. He asserts that Kerala does not have money. Even though he knows this lie would be exposed if discussed in the Niyamasabha, the UDF avoided participating in the Budget Session.

Balagopal further accused Satheesan of adopting the propaganda tactics associated with Joseph Goebbels, who served under Adolf Hitler the idea that repeating a lie often enough can make it appear true.

Highlighting the state’s financial performance, the minister said that, for the first time in Kerala’s history, treasury expenditure in the current financial year is expected to cross Rs 2 lakh crore. In 2025–26, total government spending is projected to exceed that mark.

He pointed out that during the tenure of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the average annual expenditure was around Rs 70,000 crore. During the first term of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, it rose to Rs 1.15 lakh crore. The present government’s average annual spending, he said, stands at Rs 1.72 lakh crore.

On welfare pensions alone, the government has distributed Rs 50,000 crore so far, which is expected to reach at least Rs 54,000 crore by the end of its term. In contrast, Rs 10,700 crore was spent on welfare pensions during the Oommen Chandy government.

Balagopal added that social security pensions, the Chief Minister’s women’s safety initiatives, the “Connect to Work” scholarship for youth, and employee benefits are all being implemented responsibly. The LDF, he said, makes only realistic promises and fulfills them.

Despite what he described as reduced financial support from the Centre, Kerala has managed its finances by increasing revenue rather than cutting essential expenditure. He also claimed that the state’s debt-to-GSDP ratio has declined from 39% to below 34%.

The minister concluded by alleging that the Opposition Leader is deliberately ignoring these facts to avoid acknowledging the government’s achievements, and he repeated his criticism of the claim that the treasury is empty.