Kerala minister's FB post on Vizhinjam event evokes sharp reaction from BJP state chief

Alappuzha/Kozhikode: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday said that while everyone was celebrating the commissioning of the Vizhinjam International Seaport, "a son-in-law of a Communist royal family" was unhappy about it — an apparent reference to Kerala PWD Minister P A Mohammed Riyas.

The BJP leader's remark came in response to a Facebook post by Riyas, in which the minister shared a photograph of himself along with state Finance Minister K N Balagopal and CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan, captioned: "We are in the audience and Rajeev Chandrasekhar is on the stage." Chandrasekhar said he arrived early at the venue and went to the stage as he wanted to meet the BJP workers.

During the inauguration, when they shouted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', he too joined them.

"Seeing all this, the son-in-law of the Communist royal family has a problem and he is unhappy. I don't know the reason for his unhappiness, as I am neither a doctor nor a psychologist. Let him go to a doctor and get medicine for his unhappiness," Chandrasekhar said while speaking at a party event in Alappuzha.

Riyas, who is the son-in-law of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, termed Chandrasekhar's comments as "immature".

Speaking to reporters at Kozhikode, the PWD minister said that his remark on Facebook was not made as a minister and that he stated what a common citizen would have thought at that moment.

He also said that no one was of the view that every minister in the state cabinet should be on stage.

"It was already decided who should be on stage and I have no issues with that. That is not the issue I raised," he said and asked whether it was right that a state president of a political party was sitting on stage.

"Even the BJP should think about that," he added.

Regarding Chandrasekhar's remarks about him requiring medical treatment, Riyas said that no one should make such statements about anyone, even about their enemies.

Terming the BJP leader's remarks as a "personal attack", the minister said, "Even I can say that by looking at Chandrasekhar's recent antics after becoming BJP state president, who actually requires to be examined by doctors. But, I am not saying that." He said that the CPI(M) does not take such "immature political stands".

Chandrasekhar, during his speech at the event, further said that if the Left is unhappy with such events, there will be more unhappiness in the days to come.

He also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was right in saying many would have sleepless nights, adding, "CPI(M) social media handles have been trolling me since last night." Meanwhile, former BJP state chief K Surendran backed Chandrasekhar and said that if Riyas was unhappy with the seating arrangements at the venue, "he should take it up with his father-in-law".

Surendran said the state government decided which ministers should be seated on the stage.

He added that Chandrasekhar had arrived early at the venue in accordance with SPG protocols for events attended by the Prime Minister.

Surendran also pointed out that CPI(M) MPs John Brittas and A A Rahim, Congress MLA M Vincent, and Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran were present on the stage well before the PM's arrival, but no one ridiculed them for it.