Presence of ‘PR person’ during interview: Kerala CM’s claims debatable, say sources

New Delhi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s assertion that an unknown person entered the room at Kerala House during his interview with ‘The Hindu’ appears debatable, as reliable sources confirm that three persons, including the interviewer, were present in the room from start to finish. Sources indicate that, apart from the interviewer, Vineet Handa, head of the PR agency Kaizzen, and T.D. Subramanian, a senior manager at Reliance Industries, remained in the Chief Minister's room throughout the interview.

Moreover, sources assert that no one can access the Chief Minister's room at Kerala House without his knowledge or permission. Under such circumstances, it seems highly unlikely that an unknown person could have entered his room and sat through the session without his consent.

During the press conference held on Thursday in Thiruvananthapuram, the Chief Minister stated that someone entered the room while the interview was going on and he initially thought the person was associated with the interview team.

Both the Chief Minister and the Governor stay at the highly secured Cochin House within Kerala House during their visits to Delhi. Since 2018, public access through the main entrance of Kerala House has been restricted to enhance the Chief Minister's security. Visitors heading to the canteen must now enter through the rear gate, which does not provide access to the main guest house or Cochin House.