Kerala: Congress, BJP accuse each other of having secret pact with CPM

BJP workers sore over the stance of Central agencies in Kerala chief minister-involved cases

With the controversy over the ‘masappadi’(monthly pay-off) paid to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan heating up in Kerala, Congress and BJP have engaged in a war of words over the issue.

The Congress has alleged that since an ‘undercurrent’ of understanding passes between the BJP and CPI-M, no effective probe by Central agencies would take place in the “pay-off” case.

The BJP alleges that the CPIM-led ruling LDF and the Congress-led Oppposition UDF have settled the issue and that was why UDF did not raise Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan’s “Masappadi” (monthly pay-off) issue in the Assembly.

Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan, and BJP state president K Surendran, the other day accused each other of benefitting from the state government’s “soft approach” towards them. Both Congress and BJP accused each other of having a secret pact with CPI-M.

Mr Satheesan questioned why “no case was registered against” BJP state president K Surendran in the Kodakara hawala-money heist case. The BJP chief accused the Kerala government of having a soft corner for Satheesan in the 'Punarjani scam’.

Meanwhile, Mr Satheesan said that Mr Surendran was not arraigned in the Kodakara hawala-money heist case after “begging in front of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan”.