Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretary M V Govindan here on Wednesday rubbished the rumours around the foreign trip of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family. He alleged that anti-communist sentiments triggered the controversy over the CM's trip. Terming the trip a private affair, he argued that CM and his family left for the foreign tour at their own expense.
“Chief Minister can fulfil his duties from anywhere in the world. So, there is no need to hand over his duties to someone,” said the CPM secretary dismissing the opposition's allegations.
CM's foreign trip has come under fire after the Congress-led opposition and BJP questioned his secret trip amid the Lok Sabha polls. The opposition parties have urged the CM to disclose details of his sponsor for the international tour and his source of income.
In a hard-hitting statement, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan questioned who takes policy decisions in the absence of CM Vijayan.
"Why didn't he hand over his charge to anyone in the cabinet? Is there no one in the cabinet he can entrust his responsibilities to?" Satheesan asked. The LoP further claimed that Kerala was going through an unprecedented crisis due to various issues ranging from heat waves to the Kallakadal (sudden sea swells) phenomenon, and so on. He charged that the cabinet meeting was not convened even when urgent decisions have to be taken on issues that directly affected the people. The Congress leader criticised the Marxist veteran for travelling abroad at a time when the crucial Lok Sabha polls were progressing in the country.
"After the election concluded in the state, CPM's lone Chief Minister went abroad. Vijayan, who is also a polit bureau member, did not go to West Bengal or Tripura for campaigning," he noted. Taking a dig at Pinarayi Vijayan, Satheesan wondered whether he skipped the campaigning as he was scared of the BJP.
"Has he gone abroad because of this? The CPM's national leadership should clarify their stand on this," he added.
The CM, his wife and grandson embarked on an over two-week long trip to various foreign destinations from the international airport in Kochi on Monday. According to reports, the CM and his family will visit Indonesia, Singapore and Dubai. It is learnt that CM's daughter Veena and her husband Riyas reached Indonesia on May 2.
