RS MP condemns denial of appointment with Kerala CM, Vijayan

Rajya Sabha member M P Veerendra Kumar has condemned denial of appointment for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss issues affecting the state, saying it does not 'augur well' for the federal system of governance in the country.

The state president of JD(U) Sharad Yadav faction in a statement said that a decision was taken to send an all-party delegation from Kerala to meet and discuss with the Prime Minister several issues affecting the state, including reduced ration allocations to it.

Though an appointment for the meeting was sought two months back, there was no reply from the PMO.

On Saturday last, when the Chief Minister had sought an appointment for the meeting, it was denied, Kumar said, adding this is the fourth time Vijayan was refused permission to meet Modi.

The attitude of the Prime Minister amounts to "humiliating" the people of Kerala, he charged.

Instead of trying to find solutions to the state's legitimate problems, the Centre was "neglecting" its demands only because of "blind political rivalry," Kumar said.

Earlier, referring to Vijayan's statement that a delegation from the state was denied appointment by the PMO, veteran BJP leader O Rajagopal said the Chief Minister had gone to New Delhi to attend CPI (M)'s central committee meeting.

The Prime Minister's office was not a place where one can go whenever they felt like going, the lone BJP MLA said in a statement.