BJP, Congress continue to blame CPI(M) for Kannur blast; Left party denies allegations

Kozhikode/Kannur (Kerala): BJP and the Congress in Kerala on Thursday continued to accuse the CPI(M) of being behind the recent blast in Kannur district that claimed one life and injured three others, while the Left party denied any involvement in the incident.

BJP state president K Surendran said senior CPI(M) leaders were involved in the incident and there was a conspiracy to attack BJP and RSS leaders in the state during the elections.

Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil, on the other hand, claimed the bombs made in Panur were intended to be used against the UDF as the CPI(M) in Kerala and the BJP are partners.

"The tactic of using bombs and killing people to win in elections should be stopped. That is our only concern," he said, adding that no one would have come to know about the bombs being made if one had not exploded accidentally.

He also claimed the police FIR clearly states that the bombs were being made to be used during the Lok Sabha polls.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan denied the allegations and said the Left party had no role in the blast or the making of the bombs.

"The party has no role in it. We have no need to make bombs. Many of our workers were attacked and killed. We did not retaliate. Instead, we organised public protests against the same. So, we have no need for bombs," he told reporters in Kannur.

On being asked by reporters as to whether the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) has any role, Govindan said they should ask DYFI.

When reporters asked whether the CPI(M) has any mass (allied) organisations, he said no.

"We do not have any mass (allied) organisations...It is the Congress which has mass organisations," Govindan said.

According to police, one of the arrested accused in the blast case is a local DYFI leader.

The police had also said that several of the other accused in the case were CPI(M) workers or supporters, which the Left party has denied.

Surendran, meanwhile, has demanded an enquiry by the Election Commission of India into the blast and that a senior police officer be given charge of the investigation.

"The current investigation is not going on in the right track," he claimed.

A country-made bomb, while being made, had exploded on April 5 at Panur in the north Kerala district of Kannur and had stirred the political waters in the state.