In his speech on Saturday, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala slammed Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, saying the state’s recent Middle East trip was a political move, not a serious investment drive.
Chennithala argued that the government is “emptying the state exchequer” to fund a “campaign‑oriented” foreign visit that he says is aimed at boosting the ruling party’s chances in the coming assembly elections in April‑May and local body polls a few weeks later.
“I see the Chief Minister’s priority as the electoral interests of his party, not the welfare of Kerala,” he said. “This trip is about elections, not about bringing investment.”
Vijayan began the tour in Bahrain on Thursday and plans to visit the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. He will return to Kerala twice during the trip, which ends on October 30. His close aide, State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, is accompanying him. Saudi Arabia was on the itinerary, but the government denied permission.
The Congress leader pointed out that from 2016 to 2025, Vijayan and his team have made almost 25 foreign trips with no tangible economic benefit for Kerala. “The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation admitted in an RTI response that not even a single Memorandum of Understanding was signed from these visits, and no investment has flowed into the state,” Chennithala said.
He accused the government of using foreign visits to build political capital and rally support from the Indian‑Kerala diaspora ahead of the polls. “What didn’t happen in nine years won’t happen now,” he quipped, “even a child can see the political motive behind this tour.”
Source: ianslive
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