As expected, the CPM Politburo, which met on February 14 at AKG Bhavan in New Delhi, gave a clean chit to Pinarayi Vijayan in the Rs 390 crore SNC- Lavalin scam. It also backed Pinarayi to the hilt, registering a severe jolt to Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, who had been demanding Pinarayi'sresignation from the party secretaryship.
CPM general secretary Prakash Karat alleged that the CBI case was a politically-motivated one against Pinarayi and the CPM to malign the image of the party before the Lok Sabha poll 2009. He said the party, represented by both VS and Pinarayi, will fight, unitedly, the Congress move to use CBI as a political tool to target CPM. Karat said, since Pinarayi Vijayan is not a public servant like an MLA, an MP or a minister, the question of quitting does not arise. He further said, since VS is also a member of the PB, he is bound by the decision and will do what the party says him to do?meaning Pinarayi has the upper hand in Kerala affairs.
At the PB, Sitaram Yechuri, Brinda Karat and Tripura CM Manik Sarkar felt there was a substance in VS'sallegations of corruption in the SNC-Lavalin deal. But the Bengal lobby and Prakash-Pinarayi-Kodiyeri Balakrishnan-
S Ramachandran Pillai gangup outbeat them. Pinarayi complained of VS harassing him for past several years. VS demanded a discussion on E Balanandan'sletter, calling the deal anti-Kerala and anti-India. All of VS'scontentions were rubbished and the PB decided to solidly back Pinarayi. VS was reprimanded for not participating in the Pinarayi-led Kerala March and was directed to attend its concluding function in Thiruvanantha-puram on February 25.
According to media reports, the contention of Prakash Karat that there was nothing in the CBI report regarding the personal gains made by Pinarayi Vijayan in the deal is a blatant lie. The CBI report, which was the follow-up of the CAG report and HC ordering CBI probe, has clearly mentioned that Pinarayi has gained personally out of the deal. But VS loyalists ask, where did the money come from, for Pinarayi to build a multi-crore mansion in Kannur and educate his children in Britain and US? Also Pinarayi'scontention that PB endorsed the SNC-Lavalin deal is a blatant lie as VS, and several PB members openly opposed the deal.
The CPM has allegedly amassed property worth Rs.20,000 crore in Kerala through several underhand deals like SNC-Lavalin. It is alleged that a major share of the Rs.390 crore deal would certainly have gone to CPM head-quarters and that is why Karat has surrendered to Pinarayi'sblackmail of exposure, if he is targetted individually. One cannot forget the recent Rs. two crore collected from lottery mafia San Diego Martin and the crores collected from Singapore kidney racket kingpin Farris Aboobacker. After all, CPM has to shell out crores for its TV channel, newspaper, theme parks, resorts, five star hotels and flat complexes.
Backing Pinarayi, the CPM has also kept VS smiling. He has been asked not to create trouble till the poll and has been assured that his grievances against Pinarayi will be taken up after the poll.
