SynopsisKerala Assembly saw a heated debate as the opposition LDF walked out, accusing Chief Minister V D Satheesan of misleading the House regarding reduced plan fund allocations to local bodies. Satheesan cited financial constraints and the previous LDF government's budgeting as reasons for the cuts, while the opposition blamed the current government and highlighted unspent balances. The adjournment motion was ultimately disallowed.PTILDF walks out of Kerala Assembly, accuses CM Satheesan of 'misleading' House on fund cutsThiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Assembly witnessed a heated exchange on Wednesday over the reduction in plan fund allocations to local self-government institutions, with the opposition LDF walking out after accusing Chief Minister V D Satheesan of "misleading" the House.The confrontation began after G R Anil (CPI) moved an adjournment motion, alleging that the reduction in plan funds had severely affected the functioning of local bodies.Replying to the motion, Satheesan said the House had been informed on several occasions that plan fund allocations to local bodies had to be reduced by Rs 1,533.55 crore due to the state's financial constraints.Also read: DMK chief Stalin announces party reorganisation advisory committeeHe contended that the crisis was the result of the previous LDF government's budgeting and planning.According to the CM, the previous government had included projects worth around Rs 35,000 crore in the Budget despite knowing that only around Rs 20,000 crore would be available, making proportional cuts across departments inevitable.Taking a dig at the Opposition, Satheesan said Anil's criticism was, in effect, an indictment of the previous LDF government's Budget.The CM also alleged that it was the previous government that had failed to release the third instalment of funds earmarked in its final Budget, which was due in December, citing the Assembly elections."The reduction of Rs 1,533 crore became unavoidable because of the flaws in your Budget and planning. You are criticising us for that decision," he said.He maintained that the government had already informed both the Assembly and the public about the state's financial situation and asserted that the present UDF government had released more funds than had been provided for in the previous Budget.Satheesan claimed that, had the previous government's Budget been implemented as it stood, the reduction in plan funds would have been as high as 57 per cent."When you point one finger at the government, four fingers point back at you," he remarked.Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, however, rejected the CM's arguments and accused him of "misleading" the Assembly.Describing Satheesan's stand as "unfortunate," Vijayan urged him to correct his position and rejected the claim that there had been no spillover of projects during the previous LDF government's tenure.He said the third instalment of funds, which the CM claimed should have been released in December, was actually scheduled for release in March but could not be disbursed because the Election Commission did not grant permission after the Model Code of Conduct came into force ahead of the Assembly elections.Vijayan claimed that the state currently had around Rs 6,000 crore as an unspent balance and said releasing the amount to local bodies would provide significant relief.Also read: Kerala-born Alhind to handle visa, passport & consular matters for Indians in UAEHe argued that successive LDF governments had consistently spent more than the Budget allocation on local body projects.According to him, expenditure stood at 94 per cent during 2011-16, 102 per cent during 2016-21, and 135 per cent during 2021-26, with the balance being carried forward as spillover projects.The Speaker later disallowed the adjournment motion based on the Chief Minister's reply, following which Opposition members staged a walkout from the House. Read More News on