BeyondHeadlines Special Correspondent
Thiruvananthapuram: Ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) ally CPI yesterday alleged that the Congress was trying to upset democracy in the state by using money power in the campaign for the assembly polls.
“Congress should reveal to the people the source of funds for the helicopter campaign of Ramesh Chennithala, who is now a candidate in the Haripad constituency,” Kerala state secretary of CPI C K Chandrappan told reporters.
The Election Commission’s promise of creating a level-playing field for all parties in the election campaign was being subverted by the use of choppers by Congress, he alleged.
Referring to the Supreme Court slamming the Centre for not revealing the names of people with illegal funds in foreign banks, the CPI leader said the Congress-led UPA government lacked the political will to come out with the details of black money holders.
“The UPA government’s stand on the issue raises serious doubts,” he said.
Asked about the chief ministerial candidate of the LDF front, Chandrappan said the leader of the combine would be chosen after the elections. There was nothing wrong in seeking votes projecting present Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, whose government had carried out several welfare measures for the people, he said.
On the recent desertions of CPM by prominent figures of the minority community like Alphons Kannanthanam and Sindhu Joy, Chandrappan said he did not think they had left the party because of differences over the Left’s policy towards minorities.
“They have their own vested interests. If they are serious about a debate on the Left’s attitude towards minorities, we are ready for that,” he claimed.
On the attack on a television channel scribe at Kannur allegedly by CPM MLA P Jayarajan and party workers, he said the incident was unfortunate. Any kind of attack on the freedom of the media was always condemnable, he said.
