Kochi: Promising a major policy reset, the UDF on Thursday said it would denotify land acquired for the SilverLine, while also reviewing the LIFE Mission, Kerala Bank and KIIFB if voted to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Opposition Leader VD Satheesan said the UDF would not implement the SilverLine project and would immediately reverse land notification, calling it a major concern for affected residents.

“The land notified for the project is a big trouble for the owners. They cannot sell or mortgage it. The project is kind of scrapped only, but the LDF government is not ready to denotify the land. The UDF government will never implement the SilverLine project and we will denotify the land once we return to power,” Satheesan said in Kochi after unveiling the UDF’s poll manifesto.

On welfare, he said the UDF would revamp the LIFE Mission, including increasing financial assistance per house and introducing separate housing schemes for fishermen and SC/ST communities.

“We will revise the LIFE Mission project. The fishermen, SC/ST etc will have separate housing projects,” he said.

Satheesan also announced that institutions such as KIIFB and Kerala Bank would be reviewed.

At the same time, he challenged the LDF government’s development claims, arguing that several major infrastructure projects showcased today were initiated during the previous UDF regime. He cited the Vizhinjam International Seaport as a key example, accusing the LDF of taking credit for a project it had earlier opposed.

Satheesan also clarified that bars licensed by the current government would not be shut down, even as the UDF plans to revisit the state’s excise policy. 

“The LDF had promised to reduce liquor availability in 2016, but the number of bars has increased from 29 to 1000. If we shut them now, it could increase the drug menace. Instead, we will come with a new policy and promote responsible drinking instead of issuing bar licences without any control,” he said.

Revanth Reddy’s political attack
Adding national attention to the event, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy predicted that the UDF would return to power for two consecutive terms. He launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, alleging a tacit understanding between the BJP and the LDF.

“The Modi brothers are ruling here - one in Delhi and the other in Thiruvananthapuram,” Reddy said.

He also warned that southern states like Kerala risk becoming “second-class citizens” after delimitation of Lok Sabha seats, accusing Vijayan of failing to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.

Reddy further invited Vijayan and his team to visit Hyderabad to witness development in Telangana. “I will arrange flights for them and I will go with them. They should see,” he said.

The UDF also used the platform to counter CPM criticism over transparency in the Congress-led Wayanad housing project. Dismissing the demand, Satheesan said details would be made public after completion and questioned the CPM’s authority to seek explanations.

Highlighting the manifesto’s preparation, Satheesan said it was the result of two years of consultations and sector-wise expert inputs, stressing that it was a detailed and comprehensive document rather than a superficial one.

When asked how they would fund the manifesto's promises, he said the UDF would restructure the state’s tax administration to boost revenue.

“Kerala is the number one consumer state and it should benefit greatly from the GST system. However, the state government failed to restructure the tax administration system. We will do it, seal treasury leakage and attain 35 per cent growth in tax revenue,” he said.