Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president V.M. Sudheeran on Thursday said that Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan did not have the moral ground to take a stand against anti-corruption against the backdrop of a report of the Assembly committee that found irregularities and nepotism on his part in getting plum post for his son, V.A. Arun Kumar, during his tenure as Chief Minister, holding charge of Information Technology.
Reading out the relevant portions of the report of the committee headed by P.C. Vishnunath, Mr. Sudheeran said that it would be better for Mr. Achuthanandan to bear in mind the contents of this report while mounting corruption allegations against political opponents. The report had found irregularities in Mr. Arun Kumar’s appointment as director of the ICT Academy solely because he happened to be the son of the Chief Minister.
Addressing a meet-the-press programme organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club in connection with the Aruvikkara by-election, Mr. Sudheeran took exception to some of Mr. Achuthanandan’s snide comments against Congress Working Committee member A.K. Antony. He wanted the Opposition leader to withdraw his statements.
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Mr. Sudheeran exuded confidence about the prospects of Congress candidate K.S. Sabarinadhan, who, he said, will garner more votes that his father. The youthfulness of the candidate was an advantage, but state and national issues would also be figure in the minds of the electorate. The election result in Aruvikkara would be one against the CPI(M)’s cult of political violence. It would also be a vote against the fascist and communal rule of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. The by-election would be as much an evaluation of the ruling front’s performance as that of the Opposition’s, he said.
He asserted that he had not crossed the limit while terming Mr. Achuthanandan as sacrificial animal. He strongly felt that this was the Opposition leader’s last outing prior to being eased out.