CPI(M) and Congress flags.
Credit: PTI Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress in Kerala is on the defensive over the death by suicide of a party local leader and his son at Wayanad and the corruption allegations involving a party MLA and district leaders.
With the CPI(M) strongly taking up the matter and demanding resignation of Sultan Bathery MLA I C Balakrishnan taking responsibility for the suicides, the police is also likely to initiate action for suicide abetment against the Balakrishnan as well as party district president N D Appachan.
Congress district treasure N M Vijayan, 78, and his son Jijesh, 38, died on December 27 in what is meant to be a suspected case of suicide. Since then the CPI(M) had been alleging that financial liabilities caused by collection for bribe by the MLA and party district president offering jobs to many local people in cooperative banks under the Congress led to the suicide. Vijayan was suspected to have taken loans to repay the bribes collected by Balakrishnan and Appachan. He is said to be owing over Rs 1 crore to various banks.
Though the Congress tried to resist it by denying the allegations against the MLA and district president, Vijayan's family made public copies of letters said to be written in this regard to the party leaders.
CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan himself took up the issue and demanded Balakrishnan's resignation.
The CPI(M) seems to be using the issue to counter the criticisms the party recently faced over the death by suicide of additional district magistrate Naveen Babu after being snubbed by CPI(M) leader P P Divya at Kannur.
The Congress has now initiated damage control with a party delegation led by senior leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan calling on Vijayan's family on Wednesday and pacifying them. The party leaders were learnt to have assured the family that Vijayan's financial liabilities will be dealt with by the party.
Meanwhile, the Wayanad police registered two cases in connection with the bribery allegations against VIjayan.