The CPM’s alleged attempt to hush up a Rs 1-crore corruption scandal involving a party functionary through a simple party action is now snowballing into a major political issue.

Indications of the gathering storm came on Wednesday when the Opposition UDF members walked out of the Assembly demanding a governmental inquiry into the scandal instead of covering it up through a party-level action.

The Marxist party had last week expelled Mr K Venugopal, deputy general manager of the party organ Deshabhimani, on charges of taking a bribe of Rs 1 crore from a controversial businessman. Mr Venugopal is the nephew of legendary Communist leader A K Gopalan and a confidant of party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.
A statement from the CPM State Secretariat said that Mr Venugopal was expelled for shady financial transactions “defaming the party”.

Mr Venugopal reportedly accepted the money from P V Chacko, chairman of LIS group, after promising that he would help him settle the cases against his controversial financial firm. However, when Mr Venugopal failed to help him, Mr Chacko informed party leaders about the transaction. The former could repay only Rs 15 lakh.
Walkout

Angry Opposition members trooped out of the house on Wednesday after the Speaker disallowed an adjournment motion on the issue. They wanted the police to register a case and proceed against the party functionary since he had admitted to the crime.

Speaker K Radhakrishnan said the issue could only be raised as a submission because the government had nothing to do with it. Opposition leader Oommen Chandy said that this was not just an allegation but a clear case of corruption involving the top brass of the CPM. “It is a case confirmed by the ruling party itself.
Then why is the government not registering a case,” he asked.