Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 31 (IANS): In Kerala everything boils down to politics and after a lull following COVID-19, politics took centre stage with State Congress president Mullapally Ramachandran on Tuesday asking Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to be frugal at a time when the state was passing through the toughest times due to paucity of funds.

Ramachandran asked Vijayan, who on Monday told all state government employees to contribute a month's salary to the CM's Distress Relief Fund, to first reduce his own expenditure.

"You have eight advisors who are paid a fortune. None knows what they are advising you. Then you have a CPI-M member who lost the last parliament polls as a liaison officer with handsome perks based in Delhi. Then there is the Administrative Reforms Commission, a body which is of no use and this should be wound up," said Ramachandran.

"You should not go ahead with hiring a helicopter for your use at a cost of Rs 1.75 crores monthly," said the opposition leader.

He asked Vijayan to immediately recover Rs 23 lakh that was diverted from the Floor Relief fund and given to CPI-M workers.

"You should first recover that from your people and then ask the employees to contribute, if so it would be more credible. Please do not use government funds to defend your party men involved in murder cases. Also during your tenure you opened 500 bars and sanctioned 250 quarries and have got huge funds with the party, hence the party should also contribute a handsome sum to the CMDRF," said Ramachandran.