Rajeeve accuses Keralam CM of serving BJP interests with CMRL probe order

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and former Minister P. Rajeeve has accused Keralam Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan of advancing the political interests of the Bharatiya Janata Party by ordering a police inquiry into the CMRL-Exalogic payoff controversy.

The case centres on Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena, and son-in-law and former Minister P. A. Mohamed Riyas.

Addressing mediapersons, Mr. Rajeeve contended that the Chief Minister is preparing the ground for the BJP to gain politically by attempting to weaken the CPI(M). He took exception to Mr. Satheesan's position that the government had no choice but to order an inquiry in line with Supreme Court judgments concerning information shared by the Enforcement Directorate, describing it as part of an effort to serve the BJP's vested interests.

Mr. Rajeeve pointed to Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, where he said governments had earlier turned down comparable attempts by the ED to act against Opposition leaders, taking the stand that the central agency was seeking to act beyond the powers available to State governments.

He also asked the Congress's national leadership to clarify whether the United Democratic Front in Keralam is functioning in accordance with the party's policies or acting in line with the BJP's interests. The UDF government, he alleged, was acting on the ED's directive at a time when partners in the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance bloc had opposed what he termed its political witch-hunt.