KOLLAM: The controversy over the deep-sea trawler deal with multinational company EMCC refuses to leave Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma who is seeking yet another mandate from Kundara constituency. In a direct confrontation with the minister in the constituency, Shiju Varghese, president of EMCC International India Pvt Ltd, filed his nomination papers on Friday. The Democratic Social Justice Party has fielded him as its candidate.
His nomination is expected to be a shot in the arm for the UDF camp which has fielded Congress state unit vice-president P C Vishnunadh against Mercykutty Amma. The minister has faced criticism even within the party over her handling of the issue. However, Mercykutty Amma said Shiju’s candidature is part of the conspiracy by the Opposition.
“I have no worries over his nomination. The people, especially those in Kundara, will understand it. The Opposition is worried over the popularity of the LDF government due to the development activities of the fisheries department in the last five years. The coastal regions have extended full support to LDF in the recent local body elections,” she said on Friday. According to her, the government had followed the procedures in accepting the proposals by the company and the deal was cancelled following the adverse remarks against the company by the Central government.
She reiterated that the deal between Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) and EMCC was a conspiracy in view of the upcoming elections. She also defended her performance as the minister for cashew industries.She claimed that the LDF government gave more working days to workers and made the procurement of raw cashew nuts transparent. Shiju had refuted the minister’s claim that she was unaware of the deal and no meeting between them had taken place in New York when she was on a visit to the US.