Serious charges against many CPM nominees

Many CPM candidates in Kerala for the Lok Sabha polls face charges of UAPA, murder, illegal construction and land grabbing.

The CPM, which is the ruling party in Kerala, has demoralised even the state's bureaucrats by fielding persons who were charged by the state government officials for illegal construction and land grabbing.

CPM senior leader P Jayarajan, who has been fielded in the Vadakara constituency in the northern district of Kozhikode, is facing both UAPA and murder charges in connection with the political murder of an RSS worker and an Indian Union Muslim League worker.

P V Anvar, a sitting MLA and the candidate for Ponnani in the northern Malappuram district is facing allegations of illegal construction at his water theme park.

Joyce George, the sitting Idukki MP who has been fielded again, is facing allegations of encroaching revenue land.

While the CPM may allege that the CBI framed UAPA and murder charges against Jayarajan under political pressure, the charges against Anvar and Joyce were raised by the district administrations under the current Left government itself.

Veteran social activist and journalist B R P Bhaskar told DH that there is an unfortunate tendency among political parties to field persons facing serious charges in elections.

If they manage to win, a campaign will be unleashed to give them a clean chit even as judicial reviews are pending.

The justification being made by the CPM for fielding candidates facing various charges is that they are only facing allegations. The cases against them are not proved yet, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said.