A day after Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan came out against the Central probe agencies probing the gold smuggling case stating these agencies are ‘deviating’ from their duties and that the state government would bring it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention, BJP state president K Surendran said the CM’s remarks are the cry of a culprit.

Speaking to media persons in Kozhikode, Surendran said it was chief minister Vijayan who had written to the Prime Minister seeking a probe by the Central agencies. Now when the investigation is directing towards him he is turning against the agencies. It is not right to call them back when the probe turned against him. The PM is not sitting there to dance to the tunes of the chief minister,” Surendran said.

The BJP leader further said CM Vijayan’s threats and intimidation are of no value to the Central agencies. He also alleged that the jail department, police and vigilance are trying to sabotage the gold smuggling case.

The chief minister had on Saturday alleged the Central probe agencies, which should function as per established norms, were being “misused to destabilise” the state governments ruled by Opposition parties.

Meanwhile, Congress-led Opposition UDF has approached the State Election Commission against the chief minister alleging violation of election code of conduct.

Vijayan had announced in his media briefing on Saturday that Covid-19 vaccine would be made available free of cost. KC Joseph, Congress deputy leader in the state Assembly, filed an online complaint with state election commission. In his complaint, he said that the chief minister’s announcement regarding free distribution of Covid-19 vaccine was a violation of poll code.

He said there was no urgency to make the announcement on the vaccine at this juncture when the Northern districts of the state are going to the polls on Monday.

The BJP has also lodged a complaint with the SEC against the chief minister’s free vaccine announcement, violating poll code of conduct

On Saturday, the CM had informed that the LDF government’s stance is to give the Covid-19 vaccine free of cost. The quantity of the vaccine that would be earmarked for the state is not yet clear.