<p>Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s ongoing foreign trip has garnered him political criticism, especially since his family is also travelling with him.</p>.<p>Opposition party Congress, as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party, questioned the need for the family members of the Chief Minister and ministers to travel with them during official trips. The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), countered the argument citing similar trips by ministers, accompanied by family, in the previous Congress-led state government.</p>.<p>At present, Pinarayi is visiting several European countries with his wife, daughter and grandson. He left the state on October 4, and is scheduled to be back on October 14. Though he was initially scheduled to leave by October 1, it was postponed owing to the death of CPM leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.</p>.<p>Congress leader V D Satheesan alleged that Pinarayi’s foreign trip lacked transparency, and there was no clarity on the purpose of the trip. Benefits to the state from earlier foreign trips were also not known, he said.</p>.<p>CPM senior leader and former minister A K Balan came to Pinarayi’s defence saying that a minister in the previous Congress ministry carried out 23 foreign trips and was accompanied by his wife in 12 of those trips.</p>.<p>There were also criticisms over going on a foreign trip amidst the state’s acute financial crunch.</p>.<p>Pinarayi was also criticised for going on the trip so soon after the death of Balakrishnan, who was also the chief minister’s close confidant. It was even alleged that Balakrishnan’s funeral was carried out hurriedly without bringing the body to Thiruvananthapuram so as to facilitate Vijayan’s foreign trip.</p>.<p>The CPM clarified that since Balakrishnan was under treatment for a long time, his body could not be kept for long for the public to pay homage.</p>
<p>Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s ongoing foreign trip has garnered him political criticism, especially since his family is also travelling with him.</p>.<p>Opposition party Congress, as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party, questioned the need for the family members of the Chief Minister and ministers to travel with them during official trips. The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), countered the argument citing similar trips by ministers, accompanied by family, in the previous Congress-led state government.</p>.<p>At present, Pinarayi is visiting several European countries with his wife, daughter and grandson. He left the state on October 4, and is scheduled to be back on October 14. Though he was initially scheduled to leave by October 1, it was postponed owing to the death of CPM leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.</p>.<p>Congress leader V D Satheesan alleged that Pinarayi’s foreign trip lacked transparency, and there was no clarity on the purpose of the trip. Benefits to the state from earlier foreign trips were also not known, he said.</p>.<p>CPM senior leader and former minister A K Balan came to Pinarayi’s defence saying that a minister in the previous Congress ministry carried out 23 foreign trips and was accompanied by his wife in 12 of those trips.</p>.<p>There were also criticisms over going on a foreign trip amidst the state’s acute financial crunch.</p>.<p>Pinarayi was also criticised for going on the trip so soon after the death of Balakrishnan, who was also the chief minister’s close confidant. It was even alleged that Balakrishnan’s funeral was carried out hurriedly without bringing the body to Thiruvananthapuram so as to facilitate Vijayan’s foreign trip.</p>.<p>The CPM clarified that since Balakrishnan was under treatment for a long time, his body could not be kept for long for the public to pay homage.</p>
