Key Points:
- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Sunday, 13 December, approached the Kerala state election commission over the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s statement on providing free COVID-19 vaccine to all in the state.
- This comes a day after Vijayan announced that coronavirus vaccine will be provided free of cost in the state.
- BJP’s Kerala President, K Surendran, while addressing a press conference, on relevance to the issue said, “By announcing that free vaccine will be provided, Vijayan has violated the election code of conduct…”
Kerala’s Chief Minister, recently due to the ongoing elections in the state, gave a statement that he would distribute the Covid-19 Vaccines, free of cost. Right after the statement released, The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Sunday, 13 December, approached the Kerala state election commission over the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s statement on providing free COVID-19 vaccine to all in the state.
The complaint that the Bharatiya Janata Party filed, mentioned that the announcement related to COVID-19 vaccine just ahead of the final phase of Kerala local body poll is clearly breaking the model code of conduct.
This comes a day after Vijayan announced that coronavirus vaccine will be provided free of cost in the state. The announcement comes at a time when local body elections are going on in the state.
BJP’s Kerala President, K Surendran, while addressing a press conference, on relevance to the issue said, “By announcing that free vaccine will be provided, Vijayan has violated the election code of conduct. The Central Government had already announced that the Covid-19 vaccine will be provided free of cost to the entire country. Kerala Chief Minister is trying to take credit of the Centre`s project.”
“He thinks vaccine will save him from impending humiliation and ignominy. But he’s mistaken,” K Surendran said after alleging the Kerala CM’s stand in the Gold Smuggling Case was just to off-track the probe by central investigation agencies. BJP state president said that Pinarayi Vijayan is trying to challenge the legal system.
Replying to the statements against himself, the Kerala CM said, “We have been providing free treatment for COVID-19 and the preventive medicine is part of that treatment. We made it clear that it will be provided free of cost. There is no violation of any model code of conduct. It’s something which is going on in this state and I have not violated any code of conduct.”