The Enforcement Directorate (ED) may arrest a few leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] in Karuvannur cooperative bank loan case to create a political atmosphere conducive for the party to win the Lok Sabha elections in the State, according to Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala.
Taking part in a meet-the-press programme in Kochi on (April 2) Tuesday, Mr. Chennithala said the CPI(M) and the BJP would strike any deal to reduce the number of seats the Congress would win in the upcoming elections.
The acquittal of all the accused in the Riyas Moulavi murder case was the outcome of the understanding between the BJP and the CPI(M). Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who projects himself as the champion of protecting minority communities, should own up responsibility of the acquittal of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh activists in the case. The government shall order a re-investigation than preferring an appeal against the trial court verdict, Mr. Chennithala said.
The former Opposition leader was critical of the Chief Minister for withdrawing criminal cases booked in connection with protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Kerala on the eve of the elections. The government waited for four years to withdraw the cases. A large number of youths had faced hardships after being arraigned as accused. The government should have withdrawn the cases much earlier than waiting for the elections to be announced, he said.
Mr. Chennithala said the Chief Minister was scared of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and never uttered a word against the duo. However, he had always picked up Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for uncharitable attacks. Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah never ordered any probe against Mr. Vijayan, though the former had issued statements indicating the involvement of the office of the Kerala Chief Minister in the diplomatic channel gold smuggling case, he added.
The Congress leader exuded confidence that the UDF would win all the 20 seats in the State.
