Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has alleged of a global conspiracy to link his government with gold smuggling case and also that the Congress was 'becoming Hindutva'.
In an around four-hour-long reply to a no-confidence motion in the Assembly on Monday, the Chief Minister highlighted his government's achievements over the last four years. The opposition alleged that no clarification was given on many serious allegations against the government, including links with gold smuggling accused, consultancy appointments and bribery over housing scheme.
On expected lines, the no-confidence motion got defeated as the left-front was having a clear majority of 93 seats in the 140 member house. Out of the 127 members present in the house, 40 opposition MLAs voted in favour of the motion while 87 members of the treasury benches voted against.
Congress MLA V D Satheesan gave notice for the no-confidence motion in the wake of nexus of Chief Minister's former principal secretary M Sivasankar with gold smuggling case accused, allegations of backdoor appointments and corruption in appointing consultancies to various project. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala who alleged of rampant corruption demanded Pinarayi Vijayan to step down.
Vijayan said that the Congress-led UDF lost confidence in themselves and hence they were trying to mislead the people by unleashing propaganda against the government. No one is willing to take the president post in Congress. Many Congress leaders were keenly awaiting offers from BJP. The Congress was being hijacked by RSS's Hindutva agenda, he alleged.
Without going much in detail, he alleged of conspiracy to link his office with gold smuggling accused. He also said that there was nothing unusual in higher education minister K T Jaleel's direct deals with the UAE consulate. Referring to the alleged bribery in a Rs 20-crore housing project with UAE Red Crescent's financial assistance, he alleged of propaganda by the opposition.
As the Chief Minister's reply extended for over three hours, the Opposition staged a protest by trooping into the well alleging that the Chief Minister was dragging his reply and not giving any reply to the specific allegations over nexus of CMO with gold smuggling case accused and bribery over a housing project with support of a UAE agency.
Vijayan claimed that popularity of his government had only gone up.The government came to power in 91 MLAs. Now it has 93, he said.