As political temperatures rise ahead of the Nilambur Assembly by-election scheduled for June 19, the Kerala government has announced that welfare pensions for over 62 lakh beneficiaries will be disbursed starting June 20. The move, however, has sparked a political firestorm, with the Opposition accusing the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) of timing the payments to influence voters.
The announcement was made by Finance Minister K N Balagopal, who emphasized that despite financial constraints, the government remains committed to social welfare. He noted that the LDF government has disbursed ₹73,654 crore in pensions over the past nine years, including ₹38,500 crore during its current term.
The controversy intensified after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized the timing of the disbursal during a campaign rally in Nilambur. She accused the LDF of “politicising” the ₹1,600 monthly pension by aligning it with the election calendar, arguing that such essential support should be delivered consistently, not strategically.
The CPI(M), in turn, hit back at the Congress, especially targeting K C Venugopal, who had earlier likened the pension disbursal to a “bribe.” The Left front framed the remark as an insult to lakhs of pensioners, many of whom are senior citizens, widows, and persons with disabilities.
