MALAPPURAM: AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Monday accused Pinarayi Vijayan of doing injustice to Malappuram and said the chief minister insulted the district by calling it a land of gold smuggling and black money. Venugopal, who was speaking after inaugurating the UDF election convention in Nilambur, also hit out at the chief minister for his remark on Sunday that the upcoming assembly bypoll was a fallout of a betrayal.
Venugopal alleged that the CM said the money earned through gold smuggling in Malappuram was being used for treasonous activities.
“The CM has brought Malappuram under a shadow of suspicion. Gold smuggling is reported in every district, but the CM singled out Malappuram,” he said.
Venugopal alleged that the LDF government’s manoeuvres helped BJP secure a Lok Sabha seat from Kerala. Referring to frequent instance of damage being reported on the NH 66 stretch, he asked: “Shocking things happened during the construction of the national highway. The CM did not even visit the site,” he said. At the event, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said UDF will come to power in the state by winning more than 100 seats in the next elections.
Anvar visits late leader’s house
P V Anvar on Monday visited the house of the late V V Prakashan, the former DCC President who was his opponent in the last assembly elections. Speaking to reporters later, Anvar alleged that the UDF candidate (Aryadan Shoukath) did not visit Prakashan’s house even though the latter had been a Congress leader until his last breath.