CPI(M) veteran V S Achuthanandan began his electoral campaign in his constituency Malampuzha on Tuesday by making a scathing attack on Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) general secretary Vellapally Natesan.
Corruption case
The 93-year-old leader told a massive LDF election convention held at the town hall here that Mr. Natesan, who floated the new political party Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) to make an alliance with communal BJP, would ultimately land in Poojappura Central Jail as the verdict in a corruption case filed by him against Mr. Natesan in a Vigilance court in Thiruvananthapuram is fast-approaching.
“Mr. Natesan had aligned with the BJP only to escape from the charges related to microfinance kickbacks. The SNDP leader had cheated poor women in his own community through the microfinance deal by levying a heavy interest of 18 per cent instead of 5 per cent. I had filed a complaint regarding this at the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance court. When the verdict comes out, doors would be open for Vellapally to the Poojappura jail,’’ said Mr. Achuthanandan.
“By claiming to be the self-appointed leader of the Ezhava community, Mr. Natesan in fact cheated Ezhava women by plundering their hard earned money worth crores of rupees. When Mr. Natesan realised that he would be trapped, he delegated party responsibilities to his son. Mr. Natesan and his team, who are working in close association with the BJP, will be given a fitting response in the elections,’’ he said.
Mr. Achuthanandan also urged the electorate to help end the misrule of Oommen Chandy government.
“The government had given away 2,800 acres of government land in the State to land mafias. The number of cases against the Chief Minister and other Ministers pending in Lokayukta itself remains a proof of large-scale corruption in the government,’’ he said.
Targeting the BJP-led NDA, Mr Achuthanandan accused the saffron party of trying to create communal divide in the State.
