Pinarayi Vijayan said K Surendran has "lost his mental stability" (File)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday lashed out at BJP state chief K Surendran, for raising "baseless allegations" against the former's family in the LIFE Mission (Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment) project "kickbacks" matter.
Mr Vijayan, when asked about the BJP chief's allegations, said K Surendran has "lost his mental stability" and, without any sense of decency, has been raising allegations without any basis.
"The party (BJP) should ponder as to why it has kept a mentally flawed person as its president. Surendran has lost his mental stability. It's as if he can say anything. Shouldn't there be a sense of basic decency? Shouldn't he say what his statements are based on? Should one just issue statements on a whim?," Mr Vijayan asked.
At a press meet on Monday, Mr Surendran alleged that the investigation agencies should probe and interrogate Mr Vijayan's daughter and said his family members were allegedly involved in securing kickbacks in the Life Mission project.
"Pinarayi Vijayan is not like Mr Surendran. I'm used to opposing corruption.That habit has helped me keep my head high whenever there are allegations against me.
When someone sees that I rule without corruption, such allegations will arise. Can my daughter or son or family be labelled corrupt because of pure allegations?" Mr Vijayan asked.
Life Mission project was envisaged by the state government for construction of free houses for homeless poor in the state and at least 2.26 lakh houses had been built and handed over to homeless people in the state under the project so far.
Mr Surendran has alleged that the fire incident at the state secretariat was intended to remove the evidence against the chief minister's office in the gold smuggling case.
However, the state government had rebutted this allegation and said none of the files were destroyed as the filing was under the e-filing system since long back.
The Opposition parties have been alleging that the prime accused in the gold smuggling case was involved in securing commissions with relation to the Life Mission project.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)