AFA\u2019s Head of Marketing, Leandro Peterson, claimed the deal collapsed because the Kerala government failed to meet its contractual obligations -- directly contradicting Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman and the event sponsor, who had earlier blamed AFA for the breakdown.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMessi is missing,\u201d quipped KPCC president Sunny Joseph, demanding that the Sports Minister offer a clear explanation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Party MP Shafi Parambil said the government\u2019s much-hyped social media campaign, \u2018Messi is coming to Kerala\u2019, had spectacularly backfired. \u201cIf public funds were spent, the government must either explain or return the money to the treasury,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil accused the CPI(M) of politicising Messi\u2019s name, calling him the party\u2019s \u201cstar campaigner\u201d and alleging the invite was never sincere.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThis issue only surfaces during election season. Congress has its star campaigners, but the CPI(M) suffers from a poverty of leadership -- Messi is their star,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The row deepened after revelations that the government spent Rs 13 lakh on Minister Abdurahiman\u2019s trip to Spain in September 2024, reportedly to invite Messi -- contradicting his earlier assurance that the plan would not cost the state \u201ceven a single rupee.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Sports Department Secretary and the Director of Sports and Youth Affairs also accompanied the Minister during his trip to Spain.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On Saturday, the Minister confirmed that Messi and the Argentine team would not be coming, citing scheduling conflicts in October-November.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He reiterated that the Kerala government had no role in the contract, which he said was strictly between the sponsor and AFA.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On Saturday, the Minister confirmed that Messi and the Argentine team would not be coming, citing scheduling conflicts in October-November.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the opposition sharpening its attack, the fiasco has turned into a political embarrassment for the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government.<\/p>\r\n\r\n