Kerala investors meet is a fraud: Opposition

After opposing each and every investors meet held during the time of the Congress-led UDF government in the past, the present CPI-M-led Pinarayi Vijayan government's attempt to conduct one starting Thursday at Kochi is nothing but an eyewash and a fraud, said the Congress-led opposition in Kerala.

The two-day investors meet, organised by the Department of Industries, will be held at Kochi from Thursday and will be inaugurated by chief minister Vijayan.

Around 100 projects will be showcased during the meet.

Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala tore into the 'double standards' adopted by the CPI-M led Left, especially when it came to inviting investors.

"The Global Investor meets were organised here when A.K. Antony headed the government (2001-2004) and Emerging Kerala Meet (during Oommen Chandy's tenure from 2011-16) was opposed tooth and nail by the Left and they even led a protest march to the venue. Today with hardly only 11 'effective' months left for this Vijayan government, this investors meet is nothing but an eyewash. Not even the opposition was taken into confidence as it was only yesterday that the State Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan came and extended an invite to me to take part in the meet that starts tomorrow at Kochi," said Chennithala.

"Strange are the ways of the CPI-M led Left government in Kerala, as they oppose everything when in the opposition, but when they come to power, it's nothing but mere rhetoric and attempt to do everything what they opposed. This investors meet is nothing but a fraud and taking Kerala for a ride. They brought Nissan's IT hub into Kerala with big fanfare and the situation is such that, nothing has moved and the MoU between Nissan and Kerala government has now expired. So is the case with the second campus of Infosys for which land was given during Chandy's tenure, nothing happened and they have returned the land," added Chennithala.

( With inputs from IANS )