Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, LDF head for tax collision

Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi: The government and the Opposition in the state are set for another round of head-on collision with the Left Democratic Front sticking to its decision to boycott the increased taxes. The  LDF, at its meeting held on Sunday,  decided to meet Governor P. Sathasivam to urge him not to sign the ordinance on the  taxes.

The government also toughened its stand with chief minister Oommen Chandy in an unusually aggressive tone making it clear that “if the government has decided to increase the taxes, it also knows how to collect them.”

Mr Chandy told reporters  in Kottayam on Sunday the government would go ahead with the decision to increase taxes. The decision  was taken by the cabinet unanimously, he added. Mr Chandy also said government decisions were not taken after consulting the Opposition and denied reports of differences between the government and the Congress party  over the tax increase.

As per the LDF decision, a delegation led by Opposition Leader V.S. Achuthanandan will meet the Governor later this week to urge him not to give assent to the ordinance being brought out by the government  to collect over Rs 2,000 crore by enhancing taxes and levies, including drinking water charges.

LDF convener Vaikom Viswan told reporters that the front would convene ward-level meetings from October 20 to 30 to urge the people not to pay the increase in water charges and land taxes. Before the convention, the LDF will organise local and district- level demonstrations across the length and breadth of the state as part of the campaign to boycott the taxes.