Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 21 — The Kerala BJP on Wednesday accused the Congress and the CPI(M) of working in tandem to protect former chief minister and Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan in the CMRL corruption case, questioning why Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan’s government was reluctant to defend in court a case registered by its own Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB).
State BJP president and MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the Supreme Court on Wednesday had not quashed the FIR or stayed the Enforcement Directorate’s proceedings in the case, and therefore could not be projected by the CPI(M) as a major victory for Vijayan.
The apex court directed the division bench of the Kerala High Court to hear his appeal, which was disallowed earlier this month.
“The investigation had been suspended for only seven days to enable the Kerala High Court to consider Vijayan’s appeal,” Chandrasekhar said, adding that the Supreme Court had also questioned why the state government had not filed an appeal.
“Why are V.D. Satheesan and the UDF government trying to save Pinarayi Vijayan from the CMRL corruption case?” Chandrasekhar asked, alleging a national-level understanding between the Congress and the CPI(M) to protect the former chief minister.
The BJP leader also questioned the silence of the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League on the issue, pointing to what he described as a contradiction between the Congress’ campaign rhetoric and its present position.
Rahul Gandhi had said during his election campaign in Kerala that Vijayan should go to jail, Chandrasekhar recalled.
However, the Congress was now unwilling even to take a position in court, he alleged.
Describing this as part of Rahul Gandhi’s politics of deception, Chandrasekhar said the latest Supreme Court order had strengthened the BJP’s allegation that the Congress was protecting Pinarayi at the direct instructions of its national leadership.
The state BJP chief further claimed that the CPI(M) was now dependent on the Congress’ goodwill, arguing that the two parties, despite being political rivals in Kerala, were acting together to protect each other’s interests.
“The Congress and the CPI(M) have ceased to be two separate parties in Kerala and have become one,” he said.
The remarks come amid the continuing legal proceedings linked to the alleged financial dealings between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, a company linked to Vijayan’s daughter, T. Veena.
The case has emerged as a major political flashpoint, with the BJP seeking to portray the Congress’ response as evidence of an understanding between the two parties.
The Supreme Court’s interim order, however, does not amount to a final decision on the allegations against Vijayan, with the legal proceedings continuing.