KOZHIKODE : The CPM, which has been branding the Congress as the recruiting ground for the BJP throughout the election campaign, received a rude jolt on polling day with all the discussions zeroing in on LDF convenor E P Jayarajan’s meeting with BJP’s Kerala prabhari Prakash Javadekar.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan did not hide his displeasure over the embarrassing turn of events. Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Pinarayi on Friday, he said there was lack of vigil on the part of Jayarajan. “Everyone knows the nature of Jayarajan who does not exercise discretion while establishing friendship. If Lord Shiva joins hands with a sinner, Shiva himself will become a sinner,” he said, quoting an adage.
Indirectly referring to controversial power broker Nandakumar, Pinarayi said, “there are certain persons who start pondering from the moment they get up from the bed every morning as to whom they should victimise that day. We should keep a distance from such people. Our experience is that Jayarajan usually does not show vigil in these things,” he said. Pinarayi said a person, who is in the shadow of suspicion in Kerala, got a chance to be a witness (to the meeting between Jayarajan and Javadekar). “There are people who will stoop to any level to make money. Such persons will not hesitate to present arguments according to their needs. There should not have been close ties with such people,” he said.
CPM state secretary M V Govindan dubbed the entire episode as “conspiracy against the Communist government”. He said there were many attempts against the CPM, the government and the chief minister. “Such controversies will last only till the elections are over,” he said. CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the party leaders in Kerala have responded to the issue and he has nothing more to add.
Meanwhile, Jayarajan said Javadekar had visited him at his son’s flat at Akkulam in Thiruvananthapuram. “Javadekar came to the flat unexpectedly. When asked he said it was only a casual visit. I left the scene saying I have a meeting when he started speaking politics,” he said, adding he did not know whether the BJP leader had any other intentions. Jayarajan admitted that Nandakumar came along with him.