Saffron brigade' targeting Pinarayi Vijayan, alleges CPI(M) in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: A CPI(M) member in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday claimed that a campaign was being run against Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan by the "saffron brigade".

K K Ragesh said that a saffron leader had earlier announced a Rs 1 crore bounty on Vijayan's head while in another incident, the Kerala CM was asked not to attend a programme in Bhopal at the insistence of the "saffron brigade".

He alleged that a 'hartal' (strike) was announced in Mangalore for another event which Vijayan was to attend, but the event went on smoothly.

Ragesh claimed that similar attempts were being made in the Kerala CM's programme at other places and asked "who are these people to say that they won't allow the chief minister to attend a particular programme?"

The CPI(M) member said Vijayan was defending the secular fabric of his state because of which he was being targeted.