Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has turned out to be a “merchant of corruption”. “The Pinarayi-led LDF Government is implementing corruption in a scientific way,” he said, while delivering the inaugural address of the A L Jacob commemoration meet in Kochi on Monday. “Pinarayi Vijayan, who is involved in graft to the tune of K374 crore in the SNC Lavlin deal, is saying that those who are corrupt should eat government food. If so, he should be the first person in the state to have it,” said Chennithala.
He alleged that the lethargy of LDF Government has put the state in a deep financial crisis. “The LDF has not learnt any lesson from the Lok Sabha poll debacle. They have created four Cabinet posts, thereby, putting an additional burden on the sinking financial sector,” he said.
“Why is the Chief Minister fearing to conduct a CAG audit in KIIFB? He and Finance Minister Thomas Isaac are saying the government itself is conducting scrutiny and, hence, there is no need for CAG audit. If that is the case, there is no transparency in implementing the projects,” he said. Chennithala further said the UDF will win all the six assembly seats where bypolls are being held.