The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) boycotted the launching of the United Democratic Front (UDF) government’s flagship scheme of ‘Priyadarshini’ free travel for all women and transgender persons on ordinary buses operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).

The BJP has also organised a Statewide protest against the State government’s decision to limit the benefit of the scheme to ordinary buses. The BJP, which took out protest marches to bus depots of the public utility across the State, including to the Thampanoor KSRTC terminal, criticised the alleged move to brand a significant number of ‘ordinary buses’ as ‘city fast buses’ to deprive the passengers of their benefits.

They also demanded an end to the practice of rebranding the ordinary buses as city fast buses and the implementation of the scheme in all categories of buses owned by the KSRTC as promised in the election manifesto.