Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Saturday unveiled guarantees for Kerala voters, seeking to close a two-term opposition gap with a welfare counter-offensive against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) ahead of assembly elections.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, inaugurated the concluding day of UDF’s Puthuyuga Yatra and announced the guarantees at the event in Thiruvananthapuram. The yatra, led by Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V.D. Satheesan, had begun in Kasargod district on 6 February.
The pledges announced by Gandhi include free bus rides for women, Rs 1,000 for women college students, a health insurance scheme in the name of former CM Oommen Chandy covering up to Rs 25 lakh per family, a dedicated minister for elderly welfare, and interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh for youth to start businesses.
Gandhi used the occasion Saturday to draw a contrast between what he called corporate welfare and public welfare, alleging that the beneficiaries of freebies in India were not ordinary citizens but large companies such as Adani.
“Their loans worth crores have been written off. Acres of land have been given to them for free. Therefore, providing security to those working in this sector is very important for us. Through this, we certainly hope that we will be able to provide great security to the people of Kerala,” he said.
Gandhi also trained his sights on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of having “betrayed” the country by signing the India-US trade agreement, and warning that its consequences would fall on ordinary people.
The UDF’s announcement comes as the LDF campaigns on a record of welfare spending and infrastructure delivery. In its final budget for the term, presented in January, the state government raised monthly welfare pensions by Rs 400 and allocated Rs 14,500 crore for social security schemes.
Reflecting on the yatra, Satheesan said it was a great experience for him, and thanked Congress and UDF leaders for their support. He said the party was approaching the election with a level of preparation—from sector-specific plans to district-level consultations—that he believed was unmatched by any political movement in India.
He added that a UDF government would prioritise efficiency and accountability.
Articulating the UDF’s vision, Satheesan said: “The UDF gives its word to the people of Kerala, a Neo Kerala Model. Not the old Kerala Model; that has become outdated. A new Kerala Model that will become a model for the entire country, one that the entire nation will look at with amazement, that is the promise of the UDF.”