UDF moves no-trust motion against Vijayan govt

Thiruvananthapuram, August 24

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The opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) on Monday moved a no-confidence motion against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government in Kerala, raising a slew of allegations including the gold smuggling case.

Congress legislator VD Satheeshan moved the motion, saying the Chief Minister’s office was “hijacked” by the gold smuggling gang.

“While the Chief Minister was attending the press conference and saying that everything was fine with the government and was ready to face any probe, his former principal secretary was being questioned by investigating agencies for hours,” Satheeshan said.

He said the ministers and the Chief Minister were trying to “put all blame in the gold smuggling matter on the shoulders of suspended senior IAS officer and former IT Secretary M Sivashankar”.

The state government has been facing severe criticism from the opposition Congress and the BJP, who alleged links of the gold smuggling case accused with the Chief Minister’s Office.

The state government had earlier suspended Sivashankar for his alleged links with Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the gold smuggling case involving diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE consulate here.

Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan has allotted five hours for the discussion on the no-confidence motion, the first against the four-year-old Pinarayi Vijayan government.

Adhering to strict Covid-19 protocols, the Kerala Assembly convened for a day on Monday and passed the Finance Bill 2020-21, which could not be passed after the state budget in February as the House was adjourned sine die on March 13 due to the coronavirus scare. – PTI