Congress aids BJP in targeting KIIFB, says Pinarayi Vijayan

PTI, Apr 8, 2024, 11:37 AM IST

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday alleged that the BJP and the Congress were targeting the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board despite it ensuring developments in the constituencies across the state without political considerations.

Addressing reporters as part of an election campaign in Pathanamthitta district, Vijayan said the Congress was acting as an agent for the central investigative agencies which have launched a probe against the KIIB for political purposes.

Criticising the Congress and the BJP over their stand on KIIFB, a Special Purpose Vehicle for mobilising and channeling funds to the various infrastructure projects, Vijayan said all transactions of the agency were transparent.

”Even though all of its dealings are transparent, the central investigative agencies are trying to implicate KIIFB. The opposition Congress is assisting the central agencies to implicate KIIFB, and it amounts to betraying the state. The development projects under KIIFB have equally benefited all the constituencies across the state without any political affiliation,” Vijayan said.

He alleged that there is a conspiracy behind targeting the KIIFB which has aided the government in achieving the development goals of the state.

The senior Left leader also said the union government was accusing Kerala of poor financial management due to political reasons.

”Every government requires funds to complete development projects, and Kerala is no different. We have been effectively managing our finances despite the financial crunch. However, the Union government alleges that there is financial mismanagement in the state. The union finance minister is making such claims for political reasons,” Vijayan said.

But at the same time, Kerala bagged 24 awards from NITI Aayog last year alone which includes sectors like general education, public health and UN sustainable development goals among others, he said.