Thrissur: Hours after Congress leader Ramesh Chennithla and Opposition leader V D Satheesan attacked the CPM-led state government over the alleged corruption in awarding contracts to install Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled cameras, BJP raised serious allegations against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the project.

BJP state vice-president Sobha Surendran alleged that Prakash Babu, who is also the father-in-law of Pinarayi Vijayan's son, was the man behind the company that won the tender to install AI cameras in the state.

The BJP leader also questioned opposition leader V D Satheesan for hiding Prakash Babu's name.

“Opposition leader V D Satheesan has been guarding the CM. He is behaving like the deputy CM of Kerala. Satheesan kept mum even after realising that Prakash Babu's benami company had taken the contract for the AI camera project. The ruling party and opposition have been cooperating in the state,” she criticised.

She noted the opposition doesn't want to expose Prakash Babu even though it had revealed the involvement of a Kannur-based industrialist in the project.

When questioned by a reporter about BJP state president K Surendran's silence over the same, Sobha said that just because "he has not said anything doesn't mean that I cannot take a stance as party vice-president. She added that she has forwarded a letter demanding a probe by a central agency into the AI camera project.

The BJP vice-president criticised the government's move to order a vigilance inquiry into the alleged corruption in the project. She pointed out that the vigilance probe was a mere eyewash as the chief minister is an expert in using the state probe agencies for his benefit.

She also took a dig at the government over its claims on employment security in Kerala.

“The government claims that it had given employment to 7 lakh people. I want to challenge the PSC to release the list of these 7 lakh people who got placement in the public sector,” she added.