Kerala: Opposition Parties Hit Out At Pinarayi Vijayan Over Free Covid-19 Vaccine Promise

Opposition parties have alleged that the CM’s announcement violates EC’s model code of conduct as local body polls are scheduled to take place on Monday

PTI

Updated on: 13 December 2020 3:33 pm

Opposition parties in Kerala including the Congress, UDF and BJP on Sunday moved the State Election Commission (SEC) against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over his recent statement promising to make the Covid-19 vaccine available free of cost, saying it violated the model code, as local body polls to four northern districts will be held on December 14. However, the ruling CPI(M) dismissed the charges as “childish".

United Democratic Front convener M M Hassan told reporters that the Front moved the SEC, as the announcement was a violation of the model code, given that the four northern districts are going to the polls on December 14. "There was no urgency to make such an announcement," he said.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader K C Joseph filed an online complaint in this regard with the SEC.

BJP state chief K Surendran, in his complaint, alleged that the chief minister was trying to woo voters through such announcements.

Terming the charges as “childish”, Left Democratic Front convener and CPI(M) state secretary in-charge A Vijayaraghavan told reporters at Thrissur that the CM's statement was part of the state’s ongoing fight against Covid-19.

"The UDF’s allegation is childish. At the moment, even treatment for Covid-19 in the state is being provided free of cost. The announcement of providing free vaccines was part of the process of him explaining details of the Covid-19 treatment available in Kerala," the LDF convener said.

The CM on Saturday had stated that the Covid-19 vaccine would be made available free of cost to all people in Kerala. "No one will be charged for the vaccine. This is the stand of the government," he told reporters at Kannur.

Vijayan also said the quantity of the vaccine that would be allotted to the state by the Centre was not yet known.

Meanwhile, the Centre on Tuesday said three Covid-19 vaccines, developed by Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute of India and Pfizer, are under active consideration of India's drug regulator and there is hope that early licensure is possible for all or any of them. Five vaccine candidates are under different phases of clinical trials in the country.