The Opposition in Kerala on Wednesday alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had violated coronavirus norms and mingled with residents in the state even after contracting the infection, reported The New Indian Express.

In a Facebook post, Congress leader Veena S Nair claimed that Kozhikode medical college authorities said Vijayan had coronavirus-related symptoms since April 4, two days before the state voted in the Assembly polls. Vijayan had announced on April 8 that he tested positive for the coronavirus. The chief minister’s daughter, Veena Vijayan, had also tested positive for the infection.

Nair, who contested the Vattiyoorkavu Assembly seat, asked “comrades [a reference to supporters of Left parties]” in her Facebook post whether they would have destroyed her house if she had violated the Covid-19 protocols.

On the allegations, Union minister V Muraleedharan said that the violation of Covid-19 protocols by Vijayan and his daughter was a “total disgrace”. “They let the entire state down and set a shameful example,” he tweeted.

In a series of tweets, the Union minister asked if the “media-hyped” expertise of the Vijayan government in handling the pandemic only applies to the citizens and not the chief minister. “What bothers me more is the silence of ‘Health Experts’ & ‘Media Friends,’ who don’t seem to take note of this irresponsible & atrocious attitude of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s Captain,” Muraleedharan tweeted.

He added that neglecting the pandemic, violating its norms and putting the people in danger seemed to be a strategy of the Kerala chief minister.

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja denied the allegations against Vijayan, reported the Hindustan Times. “It is sad to whip up unnecessary controversies,” said Shailaja. The minister also said it was not right to blame the Assembly elections for the surge in coronavirus cases in the state.

Kerala registered 8,778 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the overall infection county to 11.89 lakh since the pandemic broke in January 2020. With 22 deaths, the toll climbed to 4,836. The number of recoveries in the state stood at 11,25,775.