THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The meaningful silence of CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on the recent disclosures of hotelier Biju Ramesh, who had asserted that the former had assured the reopening of bars then lying closed in the state if the bribe case against former Finance Minister K M Mani is scaled up, is an admission of guilt, according to Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. ‘’The Chief Minister and the CPM should clarify their stand on the issue,’’ he demanded.
‘’Biju has stated in the open now what the UDF had zeroed in earlier itself that the bar bribe scam was built out of a conspiracy hatched by the LDF and him. It was known long ago that the conspiracy took roots at a meeting held at the residence of a CPM MLA, in which Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and the bar owners participated,’’ he said.