Pinarayi Vijayan calls KIIFB land probe 'political vendetta' in Kerala
Synopsis
Pinarayi Vijayan has fired back at Kerala's UDF government, calling its Vigilance probe into KIIFB-linked land deals in Kannur and Palakkad a pre-scripted political attack. With Kannur airport infrastructure and the Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor in the cross-hairs, Vijayan argues that investigating a two-decade-old acquisition process — one that ran through both LDF and UDF tenures — sets a dangerous precedent for development continuity in the state.
Key Takeaways
Pinarayi Vijayan on 31 October 2026 called the Vigilance probe into KIIFB land deals 'politically motivated.' The inquiry targets land acquisition for Kannur airport and the Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor in Kannur and Palakkad .
Vijayan argued acquisition was a nearly two-decade-old process that also continued under a previous UDF government.
KIIFB was only a funding agency; the Revenue Department conducted the acquisition under the central Land Acquisition Act, 2013 , he said.
The current government has reportedly conceded the entire land mentioned in the Vigilance reference was neither fully acquired nor fully paid for.
Vijayan warned the probe could discourage policy continuity on land acquisition whenever governments change.
Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday, 31 October 2026, accused the Kerala government of launching a 'politically motivated' Vigilance investigation into land acquisition for industrial development in Kannur and Palakkad, warning that the move could derail major development projects in his home district and surrounding areas.
What the Vigilance Probe Covers
The investigation, ordered by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government, targets alleged irregularities in land acquisition carried out through KINFRA for the Kannur airport and the Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor. The probe encompasses the acquisition process, land valuation, compensation disbursement, and related financial decisions. The government's order authorising the inquiry was made public on Friday night.
Vijayan's Rebuttal
In his first detailed public response since the order surfaced, Vijayan alleged that the UDF government had 'raised allegations first and then ordered an inquiry with a preconceived notion' — effectively scripting the outcome before any departmental investigation or supporting report was conducted. He maintained that the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) functioned solely as a funding agency, and that the actual acquisition was undertaken by the Revenue Department through Special Tahsildars in strict compliance with the central Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013.
Vijayan also stressed that the land acquisition was not a sudden initiative but a continuation of procedures that began nearly two decades ago — processes that also ran their course during a previous UDF government's tenure. He argued that including land where only preliminary procedures had begun, in the Vigilance reference, was questionable.
Development Stakes in Kannur and Palakkad
Vijayan underlined that Kannur airport required industrial parks and allied infrastructure in its vicinity to become fully functional, and that Kerala's overarching challenge remained an acute shortage of land for industries and infrastructure. He warned that obstructing industrial parks in Kannur and Palakkad would ultimately damage investment flows, employment opportunities, and economic growth in both districts.
Notably, the present government itself has reportedly admitted that the entire extent of land mentioned in the Vigilance reference had neither been fully acquired nor had the corresponding funds been entirely spent — a concession Vijayan cited to question the scope of the probe.
Broader Implications for Policy Continuity
Beyond the immediate dispute, Vijayan raised a structural concern: that using Vigilance investigations to scrutinise land acquisitions initiated by a previous administration could discourage policy continuity whenever governments change. He contended that if the current government believed the additional land was unnecessary, the appropriate response was a formal policy decision to halt acquisition — not a Vigilance inquiry. This comes amid a broader pattern of political friction between the UDF government and the former Left Democratic Front (LDF) administration over legacy infrastructure decisions.
The episode is likely to intensify as the probe gets under way, with opposition benches expected to keep pressure on the UDF over the procedural basis for the investigation.
Point of View
The admission that the land in question was neither fully acquired nor fully paid for undermines the premise of the inquiry — and the government has not yet explained why preliminary acquisition stages were folded into the scope. The deeper risk is the precedent: if every incoming government can weaponise Vigilance against its predecessor's land decisions, long-gestation infrastructure projects become politically untenable, and that is a cost Kerala — already land-scarce for industry — can ill afford.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vigilance probe into KIIFB land deals in Kerala?
The Kerala government has ordered a Vigilance investigation into alleged irregularities in land acquisition carried out through KINFRA for Kannur airport and the Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor. The probe covers the acquisition process, land valuation, compensation, and financial decisions linked to KIIFB funding.
Why does Pinarayi Vijayan call the probe politically motivated?
Vijayan alleges the UDF government raised allegations first and then ordered an inquiry with a preconceived outcome, bypassing any preliminary departmental investigation. He argues the acquisition was a continuation of processes that began nearly two decades ago and ran during an earlier UDF tenure as well.
What is KIIFB's role in the land acquisition?
According to Vijayan, KIIFB functioned solely as a funding agency. The actual acquisition was conducted by the Revenue Department through Special Tahsildars in compliance with the central Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013.
How could the probe affect development in Kannur and Palakkad?
Vijayan warned that obstructing industrial parks in Kannur and Palakkad through a Vigilance inquiry could discourage investment, reduce employment opportunities, and slow economic growth in both districts. He also cautioned that the move could set a precedent discouraging policy continuity on land acquisition across government changes.
What has the current Kerala government conceded about the land in question?
According to Vijayan, the present government has itself admitted that the entire extent of land mentioned in the Vigilance reference was neither fully acquired nor had the corresponding amounts been entirely spent — a fact he cited to question the legitimacy and scope of the probe.
