The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has defended Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's announcement pertaining to free COVID-19 vaccines on the grounds that Mr. Vijayan was merely indicating what was already mentioned in the LDF election manifesto.
The leaderships of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should clarify as to whether they accepted or rejected the Chief Minister's promise of free vaccines for combating the pandemic, LDF convener A. Vijayaraghavan said in a statement here on Sunday.
It was laughable that Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and BJP State unit president K. Surendran had, in this matter too, opposed the Chief Minister, Mr. Vijayaraghavan said. He termed the complaints filed before the State Election Commission (SEC) seeking action against Mr. Vijayan for breach of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) as ‘childish.’
The Chief Minister stated that vaccination would be made available free of cost to all while replying to a question during a media briefing, he said. The promise of free treatment for COVID-19 was part of the LDF election manifesto. The manifesto clearly indicated that the LDF would follow the same policy in the matter of COVID-19 vaccines also. It cannot be construed as MCC violation if the Chief Minister, who also leads the front, referred to it, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not yet come forward with the promise of free vaccines yet, Mr. Vijayaraghavan said.
