Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan counters no-confidence motion, says 'people do not trust UDF'

Kerala CM said, "People do not trust UDF. In Congress, another no-confidence is being discussed in AICC. Senior Congress leaders are accusing each other of being BJP agents. Congress has hit such a low that they cannot even elect a leader."

Image courtesy: ANI

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday (August 24) countered the opposition`s charges, raised through a no-confidence motion by Congress party, and said the issues raised by them in Assembly prove that they lack confidence about what they are claiming.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan said, "UDF does not have unity and there are issues within their front. They have lost the people`s support. They are disturbed by all this. I doubt that they brought the no-confidence motion to cover up all this." 

Kerala CM further said, "People do not trust UDF. In Congress, another no-confidence is being discussed in AICC (All India Congress Committee). Senior Congress leaders are accusing each other of being BJP agents. Congress has hit such a low that they cannot even elect a leader."

Earlier Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) moved a no-confidence motion against the CPM-led government in Kerala with the Opposition Leader in the Legislative Assembly Ramesh Chennithala supporting the motion. 

Congress MLA VD Satheesan moved no-confidence motion against Kerala government, alleging that the gold smuggling mafia used Kerala Chief Minister's Office to run their operations in the state.

Chennithala said, "As the ruling party has the majority we know that the no-confidence brought by United Democratic Front (UDF) will fail. But Pinarayi Vijayan government has completely lost the confidence of people of Kerala," 

Leader of Opposition Chennithala further said: "When I raised issues in which M Sivasankar, former principal secretary to CM, was involved in the gold smuggling case, Pinarayi Vijayan said I was raising baseless allegation against an honest official. Pinarayi Vijayan should make clear is he still holds the same opinion. All issues I raised against the government have proved right."

The UDF leader accused the government stating that in Life Mission Project Rs 4.20 crore was given as commission for a Rs 20 crore project.

"The government is neck-deep in corruption. KT Jaleel who flouted all norms and has links with gold smuggling accused is being protected by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Jaleel, to cover up his act, brought in religion. I want to ask whether this is the communist method. Why is Pinarayi Vijayan hesitant to ask for his resignation letter?" he questioned.

Meanwhile, MK Muneer, IUML MLA and deputy opposition leader in the assembly said that the Chief Minister is acting as if he is unaware as regards reports of the accused in gold smuggling case wielding influence in his office.

Opposing the no-confidence motion, Health Minister KK Shailaja recounted the state`s efforts in tackling the COVID-19 situation effectively.

She said, "After COVID-19 was reported, medical service corporation carried out an excellent work to procure necessary health precaution materials including PPE kits. There was no shortage in Kerala as the state had stocked PPE kits that were procured during the outbreak of Nipah." 

Shailaja added, "We created a cluster management strategy and now coastal management strategy is being carried out to contain the COVID spread. In the initial phase, Kerala was able to successfully contain the disease. But after the lockdown was lifted, with the expatriate population returning the number of cases began to increase in the state."