Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 11 (IANS): Launching an attack against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI-M state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said on Wednesday that both these leaders are now caught neck-deep in numerous scams and are using the CPI-M as a shield.

An affidavit filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a court containing the statement of the prime accused in the gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh, stated for the first time on Wednesday that the former Secretary to Vijayan - M. Sivasankar - and his 'team' in the office of the CM knew about all the deals, including the gold smuggling case.

This was filed by the financial probe agency after the court extended the ED custody of senior IAS officer Sivasankar, which ended on Wednesday, by one more day.

Chennithala said that never before did the party or any other state government reach the position where the present leadership has reached.

"While Vijayan's office is engaged in smuggling and other dubious deals, Balakrishnan's son is doing business in drug trafficking. Now after they have been caught red-handed, they are using their party as a shield and misleading their cadres to protect their wrongdoings," said Chennithala.

"It was Vijayan who wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a probe and today the same Vijayan is leading his government and his party to the streets to protest the very same probe that he had asked for. I fail to understand what's happening," added Chennithala.

The ruling Left government has announced a protest to be held on Monday across the state attacking the Centre for using national probe agencies to weaken the Pinarayi Vijayan government.

"I fail to understand why Vijayan, who claims to know nothing, is worried. If one has done no wrong, then why fear? Time will soon tell the truth, and all that the opposition has been saying will turn true," added Chennithala.