BJP’s Kerala president K Surendran has, on Friday, alleged that state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his team had spent Rs 43.14 lakh in London for accommodation, food and travel and has demanded the state government to release the details of the money spent during CM’s foreign trip in October.

Surendran said the data obtained through RTI from the Indian High Commission in London has revealed that the chief minister, his family, ministers and other team members had spent Rs 43.14 lakh in London for accommodation, food and travel.

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He called it a mystery that the government has not released the details of the trip of the chief minister and his team.

Stating that Rs 43.14 lakh was just the amount spent in London, the BJP Kerala chief said once the details of the expenditure in other countries come out, everyone will get the whole picture of the government’s prodigality.

Surendran said the chief minister, his family and other team members were on a tour when the state government was not able to find money even for daily expenses, under these circumstances, it is the responsibility of the government to explain to the people what benefits the people got from the Chief Minister’s foreign trips. He said that the Pinarayi Vijayan Government has indulged in such extravagance when the government is paying  salaries and pensions by taking loans.

It is a challenge to the people to squander exchequer money for the chief minister to go on foreign excursions when the state is facing a major financial crisis, he said.

He compared the extravagance of the LDF government to a Malayalam proverb ’Kattile Maram, Thevarute Aaana, namukkenthu chetam? Valiyata vali’ (The wood in the forest, the elephant of Thevar; what loss for us?  Pull on, pull on), and said the Pinarayi Vijayan government and CPI-M are following this proverbial line in Kerala.