New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the national capital on Wednesday. Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar and the state's Special Representative in Delhi, K V Thomas, were also present, reported PTI. The state government described the meeting as informal.

The interaction comes amid ongoing tensions between the BJP-led Centre and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala over various issues, including the relief package for disaster-hit Wayanad and the allocation of central funds.

Given Kerala’s persistent demands for financial support, the meeting is seen as significant, highlighting the LDF’s attempts to maintain cordial relations with the Centre despite political differences.

Meanwhile, the Congress in Kerala has accused the LDF and the BJP of having a covert understanding, particularly with the state assembly elections approaching next year. Sitharaman’s office shared a picture of the 50-minute meeting on X, further fuelling discussions about the political and financial implications of the interaction.