Thiruvananthapuram, May 7 (IANS): Kerala's opposition Congress and BJP on Monday questioned Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's "private trip" to three countries.

Early on Monday, 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.

Congress MP and Thrissur Lok Sabha seat K. Muraleedharan said it is a normal practice to reveal the purpose of a foreign visit of a Chief Minister. "Now that he, along with his family, is visiting three countries, he has to come clean on the purpose of his visit. There is no need for any secrecy as he is a public person," said Muraleedharan, son of four-time Chief Minister K. Karunakaran.

State BJP President K. Surendran asked CPI-M state Secretary M.V. Govindan if he knew why Vijayan embarked on a three-nation trip.

"If this is a private trip, then there should be no expenses to the state exchequer. The practice always is if it’s a private trip, then the cost should be borne by those undertaking the trip. What we have seen before is Vijayan often takes a pleasure trip, accompanied by his family," he claimed.

Vijayan's daughter Veena Vijayan and her husband and state minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas are in the UAE and will travel with the Chief Minister during the trip. The Vijayan family will be in Indonesia till May 12 before flying to Singapore. On May 18, they will return to the UAE before coming back to India on May 21.

According to sources, since this is a private trip, no official announcement was made about it. However, the timing of this trip has raised eyebrows as Vijayan’s schedule for May had listed numerous programmes for him in the state during the days he is out of the country.