CM Vijayan’s return was initially scheduled for May 20, but he arrived earlier than expected.
Photo: Kerela Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (IANS)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cut short his family tour to Dubai, Singapore, and Indonesia and arrived in Thiruvananthapuram early on Saturday.
The Chief Minister and his family arrived here on an Emirates flight from Dubai at 3 am on Saturday. CM Vijayan’s return was initially scheduled for May 20, but he arrived earlier than expected.
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The Chief Minister left Kerala from Kochi along with his wife Kamala and their grandson on May 6 for a two-week vacation to UAE, Indonesia, and Singapore. His daughter Veena Vijayan and her husband State Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas joined him.
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The Chief Minister’s foreign trip has drawn criticism from the Congress-led opposition and the BJP, who have questioned the secrecy of his journey amidst the Lok Sabha polls.
Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s decision to embark on a three-nation private tour amid the intense election scenario in the country implies his apprehension towards the BJP. KPCC president K Sudhakaran said Chief Minister Vijayan had cheated his party by not campaigning for the candidates in other states.
“Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of going abroad to enjoy beach tourism at a time when the people of Kerala are suffering in the extreme summer heat. Muraleedharan asked who is the sponsor of the private foreign trip of the CM and his family and what is the source of income of the sponsor.
Forward Bloc General Secretary G Devarajan has also come out against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s foreign tour. Stating that this year’s election is a crucial one, Devarajan said that the CPI-M should have used Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for campaigning in West Bengal and Bihar.
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