Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 21 (PTI) Senior BJP leader V Muraleedharan on Friday said it was the ruling LDF in Kerala that had made the poll promise of hiking the honorarium of ASHA workers to Rs 21,000 and, therefore, it should fulfill it.

Muraleedharan stated that the LDF, in its poll manifesto, did not mention that the honorarium hike would be conditional on the Centre providing funds.

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"Since they made that promise, they should fulfill it. They should not blame the Centre if they are unable to do so," the former union minister said while speaking to reporters here.

He also accused the Left government of "spreading false propaganda to mislead the public" and said it was time they stopped.

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Regarding state Health Minister Veena George's visit to Delhi, Muraleedharan alleged that she travelled there at state expense to meet a Cuban delegation and, to justify the cost, claimed she was meeting the Union Health Minister to discuss Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers' issues.

When reporters pointed out that J P Nadda did not meet her when she sought an appointment, Muraleedharan remarked that she should have gone on the date she was given and "not four days before that."

"Even Veena George would not meet people without an appointment," he added.

The BJP leader also accused the CPI(M) and the Left government of insulting the protesting ASHA workers from the beginning.

A section of ASHA workers has been protesting outside the Secretariat for the last 40 days, demanding post-retirement benefits and an increase in their honorarium from Rs 7,000 to Rs 21,000.

On Thursday, ASHA workers intensified their agitation, with three members beginning an indefinite hunger strike.

The hunger strike was launched after negotiations with the state government failed on Wednesday.

According to the Left government, it has not received cash grants from the central government under the National Health Mission (NHM) for 2023-24, which are meant for payments under various Centre-sponsored schemes, including ASHA workers' incentives.

However, the central government refuted the state's claim, stating that it had already disbursed the necessary funds but had not received Kerala's utilisation certificate.

It clarified that once the certificate is submitted, the pending funds would be released to ASHA workers and the state.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)