Pinarayi Vijayan said probe agencies controlled by the Centre are interfering with state policies.
Kerala has decided to revoke the general consent extended to the Central Bureau of Investigation to conduct investigations in the state, joining the ranks of other opposition-ruled states which have effectively shut their gates to the agency. The move makes it necessary for the Central agency to get the state government's permission to conduct investigations in the state.
While the decision was expected for some time, the final call was taken by the state cabinet today. Earlier this week, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the Centre's probe agencies, alleging they were "exceeding their jurisdiction and destabilising a constitutionally elected state government".
In September, the CBI had filed a case of alleged violation of Foreign Contribution Regulations Act in Kerala government's flagship programme Life Mission project, meant to construct houses for families without land or house. The case was based on the complaint filed by Congress MLA Anil Akkara, who has alleged corruption.
On basis of the petition of Life Mission Chief Executive Officer UV Jose, the Kerala High Court last month stayed probe for a period of two months.
The court, however, has not stopped the agency from probing other aspects of the issue, including the contracting company.
The petitioner had told the court that the hasty manner in which the case was registered indicated a deliberate attempt to "malign state government".
Mr Vijayan said a situation has risen where the Central government-controlled investigative agencies are interfering with the policies and programmes of the state government.
The Left-led government's move comes weeks after the Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra decided to do the same.
Earlier, several other opposition-ruled states, including Bengal, Chhattisgarh and more recently, Rajasthan, had withdrawn general consent, alleging that the BJP-led government at the Centre was misusing the agency to harass political opponents.
Bengal withdrew general consent in 2018, following the steps of the erstwhile Chandrababu Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh.
"What Chandrababu Naidu has done is absolutely right. The BJP is using the CBI and other agencies to pursue its own political interests and vendetta," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said.
Mr Naidu had withdrawn the general consent in November 2018, months after pulling out of the NDA, accusing the Centre of undermining the credibility of the agency for its own gains.
Andhra Pradesh, however, had revoked the move after the Jaganmohan Reddy government came to power.