THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Differences within the Left front over the SFIO case against the chief minister’s daughter spilled out into the open on Friday. Even as the CPM leadership took pains to explain that the Exalogic case involving Veena T was a political conspiracy, Left ally CPI termed it an issue over transaction between two companies and that the LDF has nothing to do with the case.
Going to great lengths to protect Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter in the controversy, CPM state secretary M V Govindan termed the case a media-political conspiracy.
Addressing reporters after the party secretariat meeting, Govindan questioned the basis for raising moral questions over the chief minister’s daughter signing a contract with a company that has government shares.
“The CPM will fight any attempt to destabilise the CM and the LDF government. The real aim behind the case is political vendetta. Why is the media silent about funds to the tune of Rs 16.4 crore that the media received from CMRL? Many political leaders from other parties too have received funds. Yet the media is keeping mum. The cases against former party chief Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s son and CM’s daughter are different from each other,” Govindan said.
When asked why Veena registered her company with the party headquarters as its address, the he replied the company itself is now non-existent.
“SFIO submitting a chargesheet against Veena is politically motivated. The issues between two companies must be dealt with according to the Companies Act. SFIO filed a chargesheet at a time when the cases related to this are under the court’s consideration,” the CPM secretary pointed out.
Around the same time, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam said the party will stand by the chief minister but not his daughter. “The CPI and the LDF will stand by the chief minister. However, matters related to the CM’s daughter’s company have nothing to do with the Communist Party. Such matters will take their own course,” Binoy told reporters after the CPI state council meet.
However, he said the chief minister’s daughter has every right to run a company and enter into contracts with other companies. “We don’t know about each and every such transaction. That’s not our concern,” he explained.
Binoy felt there was no need to link Veena’s case with the chief minister.
“It’s a case related to the financial transactions between two companies. Let it take its own course. If attempts are made to give it a political turn, and use it to attack the LDF, the CPI and the LDF will deal with it politically,” the CPI state secretary said.