THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition has intensified its attack against Chief Minister’s foreign jaunt with his family members. Opposition Leader VD Satheesan said that Pinarayi and his cabinet ministers have not sought political clearance from the Central government before embarking on the foreign trip.
The UDF had been demanding from day one that the LDF government should explain the benefits accrued from the foreign trip. Pinarayi and CPM central committee member A K Balan had clarified that the expenses towards the regional meet of the Loka Kerala Sabha held in London were met by local NRKs and not by NORKA. But CPM leaders have been keeping a stoic silence on the family members accompanying the entourage.
On Thursday, Satheesan said that the LDF government did not obtain political clearance for Pinarayi’s Dubai trip as prior programmes were not fixed. “The ball is in the court of the chief minister. He should reveal the details. The Opposition has been demanding to know the purpose of the foreign jaunt of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues. He had noted on his Facebook post that the state government had entered into an agreement with the UK. But legally it is not possible to do so,” said Satheesan.
The Opposition has been demanding to know the total expenses towards the foreign trip of the entourage and also to come out with a progress report on what it gained from the trip. The Opposition has also been highlighting the paradox of taking up an expensive trip when the state government could not disburse the social security pension to the needy. Many people in the state have been forced out of their homes by banks as they could not repay the loans. However, these issues have not prevented the CM from going abroad with his family members, the Opposition said.