CPM set to counter allegations over leaked complaint

New Indian Express

4 hours ago

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after a leaked complaint from a Chennai-based businessman to the CPM politburo alleging financial wrong-doings by party leaders triggered a row, the party leadership has come forward to politically counter the same.
While the CPM leadership termed the allegations baseless and warned of legal actions, both Opposition Congress and the BJP targeted the Left leadership in this regard.
Responding to the media in Delhi, CPM state secretary M V Govindan termed the allegations baseless. Govindan said he doesn't want to 'respond to such absurd matters.' The leader said whether a case should be filed would be decided later. He, however, ignored repeated questions on whether leaking of the complaint was related to any factional issues within the party.
Senior leader and party secretariat member Thomas Isaac, who has been named in the letter, too termed the allegations baseless. He also warned of legal actions in the matter.
Local Self Government Minister M B Rajesh, another leader named in the letter, alleged attempts to defame him, by raising baseless allegations against him. Responding to media in Kochi, Rajesh said the so-called letter has been doing the rounds on WhatsApp for four years. Since elections are a few months away, such papers tend to surface, he said.
General Education Minister V Sivankutty termed the letter insignificant. Alleging an attempt to defame the Left government and the party, Sivankutty said the Congress and the BJP were trying to run a campaign against the party ahead of local body and assembly elections. Since there's a possibility of the Pinarayi government getting another term, such campaigns would further intensify.
The BJP, meanwhile, demanded a probe by central agency into the letter controversy.
'The businessman's letter has brought out the underworld dealings of CPM leaders. The CPM secretary cannot run away from the allegations terming them absurd. If they have nothing to cover up, will the chief minister be ready to demand an investigation by a central agency into the allegations?,' asked former Union minister V Muraleedharan.
The senior BJP leader said that, in view of allegations coming up against ministers and ex-ministers, revealing more details is 'democratic decency'. The new developments in the CPM prove that allegations he raised during the first Pinarayi government were true, said ex-Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.