CM V D Satheesan
In a reply to a question in the assembly on whether the identities of those sponsoring the official travel expenses of the CM and ministers were being withheld, Satheesan said there was no secret. He said the trips were undertaken in the ministers’ personal capacity and nine travelled abroad after UDF govt assumed office. Govt said the ministry of external affairs had given its nod for their visits.
Thiruvananthapuram : CM V D Satheesan declined to disclose who sponsored the private foreign trips of ministers. But he did not identify who paid for the private foreign visits of ministers or the chartered flight used for his trip to Malappuram. Of these, only Bahrain and UAE visits of minister PC Vishnunadh were classified as official trips. Ministers O J Janeesh, K M Shaji, Ramesh Chennithala, Mons Joseph, Bindu Krishna, Shibu Baby John, V E Abdul Gafoor and T Siddique flew abroad.
The CM had said that no public money was spent and that an acquaintance had arranged the aircraft. The reply assumes significance as the opposition had asked the CM about the person who arranged the CM’s chartered flight to Malappuram to visit areas affected by rain and flooding. The opposition had questioned the lack of transparency, demanding disclosure of the individuals or organisations that bore the expenses.