CM Vijayan's marathon Middle East tour begins Tuesday, Saudi Arabia struck off itinerary

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 13 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s upcoming Middle East tour has undergone a change after the Ministry of External Affairs declined permission for his visit to Saudi Arabia.

The revised schedule will now include Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE. Vijayan, accompanied by Fisheries and Culture Minister Saji Cherian, will begin the tour on Tuesday with the first stop in Bahrain.

During the multi-country trip, Vijayan is expected to return to Kerala twice before the tour concludes on December 1.

Cherian told IANS that programmes in each country will focus on promoting the Malayalam language and engaging with the large expatriate Malayali community.

However, the Chief Minister’s foreign travel has once again drawn criticism from the opposition.

The Congress-led UDF has alleged that Vijayan’s frequent overseas visits since 2016 — over two dozen trips to as many countries — have failed to yield any tangible investment outcomes.

The list of countries previously visited by the CM includes the UK, the US, several European nations, and multiple visits to the Gulf.

This year’s UAE leg is expected to attract particular scrutiny. It coincides with renewed attention on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons issued in 2023 to his son, Vivek Kiran Vijayan.

Incidentally, his son works in a multinational bank in the UAE.

The summons, which surfaced over the weekend, is linked to the SNC Lavalin case now pending before the Supreme Court, in which the Chief Minister is also named.

The denial of clearance for the Saudi Arabia leg is expected to cause minor adjustments to the schedule.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife over whether family members — including the Chief Minister’s wife, daughter, and grandson — will join the delegation, as has reportedly happened during previous foreign trips.

The tour, officially aimed at cultural outreach and diaspora engagement, is likely to be closely watched both politically and publicly.

--IANS

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