Kerala LoP Vijayan defends LDF's Messi bid, calls UDF's corruption claims a diversion

Kerala's Leader of the Opposition, Pinarayi Vijayan, on Wednesday rejected allegations of irregularities in the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government's efforts to host the Argentine football team and Lionel Messi in Kochi, describing the controversy as an attempt to divert public attention from the current administration's handling of the recent floods.

The so-called 'Missing Messi' row stems from a proposed friendly exhibition match in Kochi in 2025 involving the 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning Argentine team and its captain, Lionel Messi. The proposal was initially backed by the LDF government, but it collapsed, prompting a Sports department internal inquiry.

According to reports, the inquiry found financial irregularities including service tax fraud, potential violations of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), abuse of power leading to losses to the public exchequer, and suspect transactions involving offshore entities. Officials said on Tuesday that the findings could trigger investigations by central agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, and the GST department.

The inquiry also flagged a loss of ₹13 lakh to the exchequer for underwriting former Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman's trip to Spain to interact with the Argentine Football Association (AFA). It recommended a probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB).

Addressing reporters, Vijayan clarified that the LDF government merely supported a private sponsor's proposal to host the team. He stressed that the government was not a party to any agreement between the sponsor and the AFA, had not invested in the project, and had not taken on any financial responsibility, including as a guarantor.

'Former Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman has clarified that the public exchequer sustained no loss,' Vijayan said.

Asked about Abdurahiman's visit to Spain, Vijayan defended it, saying, 'A Minister requires no contractual agreement with any entity to travel abroad.' He added that the LDF welcomed an inquiry.

'Kerala is a footballing state. Argentina and Messi have huge followings. Some issues cropped up in the contract between the sponsor and the AFA. The state is not a party to their agreement,' Vijayan said.

He also brushed aside his own lack of detailed knowledge about the proposal, remarking that as former Chief Minister he was not 'obligated to understand the As and Bs of the bid to bring Messi in granular detail.'

Vijayan accused the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government of using the inquiry reports to gain propaganda advantage and to shift attention from the administration's response to the recent floods, which opposition parties have criticised as apathetic and inept.

'The previous LDF government has done no wrong in the matter,' he asserted.

The political spat comes as the state continues to grapple with the aftermath of the floods, with the disaster response emerging as a key point of contention between the ruling UDF and the opposition LDF. Vijayan's remarks underscore the escalating political friction, even as the government weighs a formal anti-corruption enquiry into the failed Messi project.