Thiruvananthapuram, May 7 : Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan on Tuesday asked the Kerala unit of the CPI(M) to explain the three-country 19-day private visit of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family.

'He (CM Vijayan) is duty-bound to explain whether his private visit is sponsored or from his pocket. If it is a sponsored visit, then it should tell who is the sponsor, if not then he should explain the source of his income,' said Muraleedharan and added that the reply to the questions can be given by the CPI(M) state secretary also.

On Monday, CM Vijayan, his wife Kamala, and their grandson left for the UAE, and are also scheduled to visit Indonesia and Singapore before returning on May 21.

CM Vijayan's daughter Veena Vijayan and her husband state PWD and Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas reached the UAE early this month and are also going to join the CM.

'It's really strange that when people in Kerala are reeling under a never before seen heatwave, CM Vijayan and his family are enjoying at beach destinations,' said Muraleedharan.

'We also wish to know if both Vijayan and Riyas, who will be out of the state for 19 days, have handed charges to anyone. If so, wish to know to whom they have handed over,' asked Muraleedharan.

'We want to hear on this from CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, who is always critical of PM Modi. I also wish to say, that I have just returned from West Bengal and was hugely surprised to see the election meetings held by the CPI(M) there, which were attended by just a handful of people. No one should forget that it was a state ruled by the CPI(M) for a long time and has now shrunk completely. If this is the way CM Vijayan and others in the party run Kerala, it won't be long when Kerala will go the Bengal way,' said Muraleedharan.

The Vijayan family will be in Indonesia till May 12 before flying to Singapore. On May 18, they will return to the UAE before returning to India on May 21.

/IANS