THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The imminent arrest of Karat Faisal, who was taken into custody by Customs in connection with the gold smuggling case, has come as a blessing in disguise for the UDF. All along, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had been claiming that in due course the heartbeat of the UDF will be increasing. But now the UDF has got a political weapon in the form of the Koduvally LDF councillor, Karat Faisal, being taken into custody.
His name came up in connection withstate secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan riding in a Mini Cooper during a road show coinciding with his Jana Jagratha Yatra during 2017.When UDF protests against the LDF Government were stopped abruptly, a section of Congress leaders were peeved at the decision. Prominent among them include K Muraleedharan, MP, who did not hide his disappointment against the UDF’s decision to stop all live protests and agitations citing spurt in Covid -19 cases.
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran replied to Muraleedharan’s allegation that the decision to stop the protests was taken in public interest. Just when allegations and counter allegations have been going on in the Congress, news of Karat Faisal being taken into custody came.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala took a jibe at Pinarayi saying that now it is all the more clear whose heart beat goes up and knees jerk after the custody of a close relative of a prominent LDF MLA. Karat Faisal is a close relative of Karat Razak, an independent MLA who won with the support of the CPM from Koduvally.
“Pinarayi should explain whose heart has skipped a beat. It is now clear like daylight how the LDF is feeling the heat when the gold smuggling case investigation is going on”, said Chennithala.Following reports that Karat Faisal will be arrested on Friday, KPCC organising general secretary K P Anil Kumar unleashed a scathing attack on Kodiyeri.
He said that CPM has become a den of smugglers, thieves, drug mafia and gold smugglers where the party has been acting as a contractor.“Kodiyeri has become the leader of all nefarious elements. The irony is that all these nefarious activities are happening within the four walls of his home,” Anil Kumar told TNIE.