Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 3 (IANS): After repeatedly demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of several alleged scams, the Congress in Kerala on Tuesday asked him to give up charge of the state Vigilance.

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala claimed that though Vijayan was "in deep trouble" over the scams and thus had no moral right to continue as CM, he should at least give up the charge of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau under the state Home Department, which he is handling.

"His predecessor Oommen Chandy immediately gave up the Vigilance Bureau after facing an allegation; likewise, Vijayan also should rise up to the occasion as he is facing allegations of wrongdoings," said Chennithala.

The demand came up a day after Vijayan's former Principal Secretary M Sivasankar, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), was named by the Vigilance as an accused in the Life Mission project case.

"Now that Sivasankar has been named as the fifth accused, Vijayan is obviously the first accused and hence has no option but to relinquish the Vigilance portfolio," the Congress leader said.

Vijayan went hammer and tongs on Monday night against various central agencies probing the gold smuggling and Life Mission project cases. CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's younger son Bineesh Kodiyeri too has been arrested by ED Bengaluru unit.

"Vijayan is yet to speak a word against Prime Minister Narendra Modi... Vijayan is certainly scared that the probe may reach his doorstep now; hence, he is attacking the officials but maintaining a stoic silence against Modi. Just look at the SNC Lavalin case... all this shows why Vijayan is silent on Modi," Chennithala alleged.