CPI-M leader Achuthanandan mocks Damodaran's allegation

Veteran Marxist leader V S Achuthanandan today took a dig at senior advocate M K Damodaran, who backed out from taking over as the legal advisor of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, for alleging that a high-level conspiracy was hatched to malign him.
Reacting to media reports about Damodaran's allegation, Achuthanandan said people of the state would dismiss the charge with the contempt it deserves.
Without naming anyone, Damodaran had reportedly said it was only after Achuthanandan's petition in the Ice cream parlour case was dismissed by the Supreme court, an organised campaign was launched against him. He had alleged that a high-level conspiracy was hatched to malign him.

Reacting to the allegation, Achuthanandan quoted a colloquial phrase to state that there was no point in blaming an innocent person for the setback. "People will dismiss such an allegation with the contempt it deserves," he said.
"BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan had filed a case against Damodaran's appointment as the legal advisor in the High Court and he (Damodaran) had to make his stand clear," Achuthanandan said.
"It is natural that you pick up a fight at home after losing a battle at the market place," he said.

Meanwhile, Damodaran told reporters in Kochi that "media has not been fair to me. So, I do not want to talk."

After widespread criticism from various quarters, including Congress-led UDF and BJP, Damodaran had decided not to take up the post of the legal advisor.
The appointment by the eight-week-old CPI(M)-led LDF government had triggered a row after Damodaran appeared for controversial lottery baron Santiago Martin and some quarry owners in different cases in the High Court recently.
Damodaran had yesterday informed the court his decision of not accepting the post. The decision was made known while the court was hearing a petition filed by Kummanam Rajasekharan, challenging his appointment.
Achuthanandan also said former government pleader Susheela Bhat, who was removed recently, had always stood for the state's interests while appearing in various plantation cases, adding he had written to the Chief Minister in this regard.

However, he declined comment when asked if he would take charge as Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission.