'Was offered money to vote for Congress', claims former CPI(M)-backed MP

A former CPM-backed independent MP Sebastian Paul has claimed that he was offered money to vote in favour of the Congress-led UPA government during the confidence motion voting in July 2008 by two persons claiming that they were sent by late Pranab Mukherjee, the then party's main trouble-shooter.

In his memoir 'Ente Kaalam, Ente Lokam' (My Time, My World), he also recalls that he remained absent during the voting on a bill amending the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after the 2008 Mumbai terror strike and it led to the CPI(M) seeking an explanation from him for his actions on behalf of the then party General Secretary Prakash Karat.

Paul, the 74-year-old journalist and lawyer who was thrice elected as MP and once as MLA contesting as an independent backed by the CPI(M) from Kerala's Ernakulam, also revealed that the BJP approached him before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and this year's Kerala Assembly election to contest and was even offered Rajya Sabha seat if he lost.

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In the around 300 page memoir in Malayalam, Paul recalled the evening when two persons visited him at his 20, Rajendra Prasad road residence, which was around 500 metres from Parliament, claiming that Mukherjee.

"They spoke only what was only relevant. They said they needed votes from some more MPs so that UPA could win the confidence motion. As I was an independent MP, they said, the (CPI-M) whip was not applicable to me and I should vote in their favour. Even if I cannot vote, I should at least abstain. For both actions, there is money. I remembered the cash-for-vote sting operation and ended the conversation very fast by not bothering to ask about money...I think the duo offered me crores of rupees," he wrote.

"Next day, I realised that it was not a sting operation when I met Vayalar Ravi. My name was chopped from Pranab Mukherjee's list, Ravi, then Parliamentary Affairs Minister who knew me told me," he added.

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He said that his "market value was high", as it would have been a humiliation to Karat and the Left, who withdrew support to the UPA government if he succumbed to the temptation of money.

Paul recalled that nothing happened to those who took the offer and referred to a then JD(U) MP who cut short his visit to Delhi and got admitted to a hospital in Kochi. At least ten MPs were not present for voting while seven BJP MPs voted in favour of UPA.

However, he did not mention in his memoir whether he informed CPI(M) about the offer of a bribe to him.

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The former lawmaker also referred to a letter from then CPI(M) Lok Sabha leader Basudeb Acharya seeking an explanation from him for being absent during the voting in favour of the UAPA Amendment Bill. Acharya in his letter said he was asked by Karat "to seek reasons" for this.

Paul said he spoke against the Bill in Lok Sabha and the CPI(M) stand was the same too. However during voting, they were asked to vote in support but Paul found the proposed legislation problematic on several counts, including bail conditions.

While he unsuccessfully contested the 2016 Assembly elections on CPI(M) symbol, the party did not consider him for candidature in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and 2021 Assembly polls and he did not seek a seat too.

However, Paul wrote he was approached by the BJP, which he declined. The messenger told him, "don't bother about the result. If you are defeated, we will send you to Rajya Sabha."

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