Congress targets Kerala CM over horse-trading allegations against LDF MLA

The Opposition Congress on Saturday targeted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the horse-trading allegations that cropped up in connection with ruling LDF MLA Thomas K Thomas and criticised him for not ordering an investigation into the serious charges despite having knowledge about it.

The grand-old party alleged that the Left veteran did nothing even after coming to know days ago that a ruling MLA had tried to woo two other LDF legislators into the Sangh Parivar-led front.

While speaking to reporters in this northern district, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, alleged that Vijayan would do only things that satisfy the Sangh Parivar leadership.

Accusing the chief minister of ruling with the fear of the Sangh Parivar, Satheesan said Vijayan is worried about cases being probed by the Central agencies.

"That's why he has sent ADGP Ajith Kumar as a messenger to the RSS leaders...and ensured the victory of the BJP in Thrissur by disrupting Pooram...that's why he does not feel there is anything wrong in meeting BJP leader Prakash Javadekar," the LoP alleged.

After all this, he would speak about secularism outside, the Congress leader further said.

Satheesan asked Vijayan why he did nothing even after he came to know that the Kuttanad MLA had offered crores of rupees to two other legislators. Not even a probe has been ordered so far into the allegations, he said.

The Congress toughened its stand against the CM a day after a controversy erupted in Kerala over media reports claiming that an NCP MLA from the state, aligned with Sharad Pawar, offered Rs 50 crore each to two other Left legislators to join the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, an ally of the BJP.

The reports claimed that Thomas K Thomas, an MLA of the NCP and an ally of the LDF, made the monetary offer to two Left MLAs Antony Raju (Janadhipathya Kerala Congress) and Kovoor Kunjumon (RSP-Leninist).

The reported allegations arose in the wake of Thomas's attempt to secure a Cabinet position in the Pinarayi Vijayan government by replacing his party colleague and Forest Minister Saseendran.