BJP alleges involvement of Kerala CM's daughter in scam

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 14 With the Pinarayi Vijayan government caught in the Life Mission commission scam, State BJP president K. Surendran on Monday went a step ahead and alleged that Vijayan's daughter also has a role in the scam.

"The probe in the Life Mission commission scam will soon reach the daughter of Vijayan - Veena. This is the information that's now surfacing according to what I have come to know," said Surendran and added that Vijayan should quit immediately and face a probe.

It was Kerala BJP president K. Surendran who first broke the news of the involvement of State Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan's son, who is alleged to have got a huge sum as commission, after Swapna Suresh (arrested in the gold smuggling case) managed to get a project cleared for building homes for the poor under Vijayan's pet project 'Life Mission'.

Soon after Surendran broke the news on Sunday, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala also attacked the CPI(M) leader.

Chennithala on Monday said that it is surprising to hear that 17,000 kilograms of dates have come in the diplomatic baggage of the UAE Consulate, here.

"Even if these dates are to be consumed by the employees at the Consulate, then they can have them for several years. Everything is shady and under the guise of dates, it's gold that's being smuggled. The Kerala state protocol officer has already gone on record to say that he has no clue of what's happening and hence there has to be a detailed probe," said Chennithala.

"After, Bineesh Kodiyeri, son of CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was questioned, the very same CPI-M leadership which took pride that it was their Chief Minister who demanded a national agency probe, is now changing their position and are saying that the probe is politically motivated," added Chennithala.

Meanwhile Vijayan, while taking part in an online inauguration, slammed his detractors and said they are nothing but those interested in making baseless allegations.

"A smokescreen is being created by some who are out to play spoilsport in the Life Mission project, which so far has been able to give homes to over 2,26,000 families. They are making allegations of commission involved in this," said Vijayan.

( With inputs from IANS )