Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is not known for his affinity for selfies; on the other hand, he has earned a bit of notoriety for his aversion to pose for photos with strangers. But on Tuesday, he broke the practice, posed for a number of selfies and even shared them on his Facebook page with a touching note, earning accolades even from his bitter critics on the social media.
In the note introducing the youth, Pranav, Mr Vijayan said he had a heart-touching experience when reached at the office in the assembly in the morning. Pranav, an artist from Alathur who lost both his hands, came to meet him to donate the money he earned from reality shows to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund on his birthday. Pranav then took the selfies with the Chief Minister by putting the smart phone on his toes.
Pranav told the Chief Minister that his hands in life are his parents Balasubramanyam and Swarnakumari. He conveyed this to the chief minister in the presence of his parents. K.D. Prasenan, the MLA representing Alathur constituency, also accompanied them.
Mr Pranav said the state government, through its policies, has always stood firm with the differently-abled, the Chief Minister noted.
Accepting the donation, the Chief Minister said Pranav's contribution is of great value. Pranav, who graduated from Chittoor Government College, is going for PSC coaching now.
The gesture of Mr Vijayan surprised many as the Chief Minister had some time back been in the news for scolding a student who held his hand and tried to click a selfie along with him.
Later, Mr Pranav also met opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.
