Kerala polls: Karnataka Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar says 10-year LDF rule has failed to bring growth or job prospects to Kerala

The CPI(M)-led LDF government has failed to bring development and investment or create new employment opportunities to Kerala in the last 10 years, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar said on Monday, April 6, 2026.

In Thiruvananthapuram for the Congress election campaign, Mr Shivakumar challenged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI(M) to explain what the LDF government “has given to the State of Kerala”.

He said the Pinarayi government has failed to come up with a policy that encourages more investment, more employment opportunities and stronger gross domestic product (GSDP) growth in Kerala. “The Prime Minister should answer what investment you are bringing to Kerala,” he said.

‘Policies are liberal in Karnataka’

Investors prefer Karnataka because the policies there are liberal. But those trying to invest in Kerala say the policies are “not clear”.

Mr. Shivakumar disagreed, regarding Kerala being at the top in terms of ease of doing business: “But what happened? There should be some accountability. Something should be visible. The numbers should be visible. The communist mentality needs to go and liberalization needs to come back to attract investment.”

“The policies you give are very important. The policies will attract investment. The protection you give to investors is important,” he added.

Mr. Shivakumar said Keralites, despite being “highly educated, intelligent and hard-working”, still do not have the opportunity to work in their own states.

“Unemployment is at its peak. Young people are leaving Kerala and choosing to go to places like Saudi Arabia, Bengaluru, Mumbai or Delhi. Keralites constitute 20% of engineers working in Karnataka,” he said.

‘LDF-BJP bond’ in polls

Stating that the Congress-led UDF will win a “two-thirds majority”, Mr. Shivakumar reiterated his accusations of “LDF-BJP nexus” in the Assembly polls in Kerala.

He also claimed that unlike other States, central investigating agencies were not targeting the LDF government despite reported scams, including the Sabarimala gold theft case.

He urged the people of Kerala to elect UDF for “a corruption-free, transparent government that will lead investment and change the system”.